Gondek lost on bag bylaw but her big “win” was to reject tax relief

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An extended day at metropolis corridor can present sufficient baloney for a thousand picnics.

Tuesday was one such day, as councillors lastly caved on their absurd single-use gadgets bylaw. They voted it into purgatory, leaving solely Mayor Jyoti Gondek and 4 others in favour.

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Observe to council: Don’t attempt to regulate how Calgarians store and feed their households. They’re already mad sufficient about excessive meals costs. Add a paper bag bylaw with petty guidelines and so they go nuts.

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Unhealthy information got here later within the day, when a slim majority — eight votes to seven — killed any probability of decreasing this 12 months’s mammoth property tax hike of seven.8 per cent.

That was properly hidden behind the bag bylaw uproar. The tax concern isn’t as sizzling emotionally nevertheless it’s arguably extra vital.

Town’s working funds is about $5 billion yearly. Six councillors had been asking for spending cuts of $23.1 million.

They wished that cash used to scale back the property tax hike by two factors, from 7.8 to five.8 per cent.

The proposal doesn’t seem like a fiscal fiasco for the large metropolis corridor complicated. However to listen to Gondek and her backers, you’d suppose Calgary was on the snapping point.

The mayor claimed that beginning this course of would technically go away the town with out a funds. This could violate the province’s Municipal Authorities Act.

Metropolis officers nodded sagely at her concept.

But it surely’s nonsense. Coun. Andre Chabot protested “we’ve carried out it earlier than,” referring to in-budget modifications.

Even when there have been a technical breach, attempt to think about the UCP giving Calgary the Chestermere remedy, particularly when the difficulty is tax reduction.

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This was a foolish, clear deflection.

For Gondek, the stakes had been rising because the vote edged nearer. She’d misplaced massive on baggage and her council majority was trying shaky once more.

Her allies started claiming that the six councillors favouring a discount would lower funding for firefighting, public safety and different important companies.

“That’s such a scare tactic,” mentioned Coun. Sonya Sharp, who backs tax reduction.

“Critically, we haven’t even talked about cuts.

“What we’re saying is, return to the funds that was accredited and take a look at the investments, together with capital, and put some issues on pause.

“Not one among us talked about chopping metropolis companies, not as soon as.”

In the meantime, metropolis officers had been explaining how amazingly troublesome it could be to open the funds, discover reductions and lower taxes.

A lot work. Much more, it appears, than elevating taxes.

At metropolis council, it’s straightforward to get misplaced within the thicket of particulars. However that’s typically the entire level.

We’re purported to overlook the purpose, which on this case is decreasing the most important metropolis tax enhance in a long time, at a time when nearly all prices are rising for Calgarians.

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As tensions rose, Sharp made a shrewd transfer. She requested to get rid of the requirement for a “reconsideration,” which wants 10 votes, not a easy majority of eight.

Now the movement merely known as for administration to seek out “funds changes” that might allow the tax reduction.

Surprisingly, her change handed by an 8-7 depend. However that wasn’t the primary vote. When it got here, one councillor flipped.

Tax reduction formally died, additionally by eight votes to seven.

Then, Gondek supplied a face-saving “movement arising,” telling administration to “search efficiencies for the 2025 mid-cycle adjustment deliberations.”

Sounds spectacular, however there isn’t a point out of tax reduction. The mayor’s meaningless movement handed handily.

The entire session was an influence wrestle between the mayor and her allies, and the councillors who fought her on taxes and the bag bylaw.

On the primary tax vote, the challengers received over a councillor, Peter Demong, decreasing Gondek’s majority to a single vote.

This mayor got here near dropping two main points on the identical day.

However the taxpayers additionally misplaced.

If council continues on this path, Calgarians will face mixed property tax hikes properly over 20 per cent on this mayor’s four-year time period.

Don Braid’s column seems recurrently within the Herald.

Twitter: @DonBraid

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