Tax predicament due to poor decisions in the past

By Lethbridge Herald on December 15, 2022.

Editor:

Thank you for realizing that the tax predicament the City of Lethbridge is in today isn’t primarily on the current council, it’s because of poor decisions in the past. 

Averaging the tax increase of last budget with the current approved budget comes in under three per cent over the past eight years. Inflation is currently six per cent plus. In effect the City is operating with less than half of the “extra” money needed to keep up with costs. The City is just like every homeowner, costs are increasing so what do we do to remain financially viable? 

Calgary and many other Alberta cities have averaged five per cent plus annually for the past eight years. Same province, same inflation.

The “angry” public need to look at the facts and face reality. Prices are not going down, costs are not going down, unions aren’t negotiating for wage decreases and neither are non-union staff. No city in Alberta did what the City of Lethbridge did in holding the line on taxes for four years but all it did was delay the inevitable. It works out to $12 a month for an average home in Lethbridge. No one likes it but a vast majority understand it. You are right when you say they “may” have the right to be angry but it’s not at council. Thankfully they don’t make decisions based on trying to get re-elected, they make them based on facts.

Brent Hansen

Lethbridge