Elections

Do you believe municipalities should have more powers to generate revenue? If so, what would you propose? If not, why not?

Responses to the question: "Do you believe municipalities should have more powers to generate revenue? If so, what would you propose? If not, why not?"

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21 Candidate Responses (top)

Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale
CandidateBrief ResponseFull Response
Erik Coverdale Maybe The Green Party is committed to ensuring that we're not downloading costs on municipalities, or adding new ones to communities limited property tax base. The Green Party supports a review of the Development Charges Act so that growth pays for itself without unsustainable burdens on property taxpayers. The Green Party is committed to responsible stewardship of our natural and financial resources and will promote policies that ensure we live within our means.
Glenn Langton No Libertarians believe in smaller, decentralized government so we would support municipalities choosing for themselves by democratic process how they would govern themselves at the request of, with accountability to, the people of their particular municipality. In general we believe all government should be small as possible and be accountable to those who pay their salaries. we oppose the tax and spend system and support fee's for services by whomever provides them ( preferably private enterprise ) taxation would be far less removing the need to raise more revenue.
Robert Maton Yes Road tolls between cities can be designed to encourage car pooling and use of public transport, and these are useful where public transport is easily accessed, fast and efficient; and where safe parking at the outer edges of the City is available. In a number of areas Hamilton has difficult gridlock, but we do not yet have excellent public transport and parking. The current municipal fee system which charges for recreational, cultural, conservation and naturalist activities is nicely balanced, fair and equitable. Hamilton Street Railway fees which are lower or eliminated for those who cannot afford them are fair. Fees in the City clearly do not cover the full costs of services. However, higher fees on services will discourage users, and lower fees will make people undervalue the services and reduce their quality.
Ted McMeekin Maybe The Municipal Act gives municipalities authority to raise revenue in a variety of ways, including property taxes and user fees. Other municipal source revenue mechanisms include: investment income, development charges (authority under the Development Charges Act), donations, revenue from other municipalities, and fines and penalties.

I recognize that municipalities require tools to help them fund local infrastructure to service new growth. We are committed to uploading the costs that were forced on the backs of municipalities by the PCs. We are open to looking at any proposals brought forward by municipalities to generate revenue streams to fund new growth in their communities.
Trevor Westerhoff Yes Ontario’s New Democrats recognize the fiscal challenges faced by municipalities, which is why we will allocate additional funds to infrastructure projects, continue to upload social service and court security costs by 2018, make the provincial gas tax permanent and fund 50% of the operating costs for municipal transit.

We also are committed to expanding municipal powers to generate revenue. For example, the Development Charges Act should ensure that growth pays for growth. We will also create opportunities for municipalities to engage in renewable energy projects.
Hamilton Centre
CandidateBrief ResponseFull Response
Andrea Horwath Yes Ontario’s New Democrats recognize the fiscal challenges faced by municipalities, which is why we will allocate additional funds to infrastructure projects, continue to upload social service and court security costs by 2018, make the provincial gas tax permanent and fund 50% of the operating costs for municipal transit.

We also are committed to expanding municipal powers to generate revenue. For example, the Development Charges Act should ensure that growth pays for growth. We will also create opportunities for municipalities to engage in renewable energy projects.
Christopher Lawson No Do you mean should they have more power to tax? We are already taxed enough. Business generates revenue in the municipality. Business is the lifeblood. All government is like a flea riding on the back of this animal. What if corner stores could sell a profitable new and popular product? A Freedom Party government would extend to them the opportunity to compete with the LCBO outlets. Canadian-made micro-brews and wines are denied a Canadian market. A Freedom government will ensure these Canadian products are available to the Canadian market. In addition it would eliminate the Liquor Tax and abolish minimum pricing. Those who live in places that require them to drive to work and all transportation businesses will appreciate that a Freedom government would eliminate the Gasoline Tax. Lowering the cost of transportation lowers the market price of any goods that are transported (almost everything)! A Freedom government would also roll back the Health Premium. All businesses and the municipal government benefit together from the Freedom Party policies that seek economically viable, ecologically-considerate, cheaper electricity. If we can't guarantee greater revenues, can we at least offer lower bills? There is more than one way to make ends meet! When business prospers there is a greater tenancy occupation rate and, in turn, greater tax revenue to the municipality. Ultimately, lowering the costs of operation for business means more business. More tax? NO. The Liberals promised, "no new taxes." It was a lie. The PST, hidden in the HST, was applied all kinds of places that the PST was never applied to before. It was 3 billion dollars worth of "no new tax"! Lower taxes. Vote Freedom Party.
Michael Baldasaro Yes We should allow Municipalities to run raffles, just like Lotto Ontario does, to raise revenues.
Peter Ormond Yes Of course municipalities should have more powers to generate revenue. In Hamilton's case, with our waterfront, escarpment and urban core, we have a tremendous opportunity to be innovative. Instead of focusing on the corporate profit-making mindset, the city can delve into community-building alliances. Renting buildings, refurbishing lands, for example, and be open to ideas from the public.

Besides generating revenue, municipalities can rethink our current systems. How about rainbarrels on every house, planting and harvesting more trees, stop fluoridation of our drinking water, garbage pickup every two weeks, community gardens, etc. In some cases, the solutions are simple. Let's just start applying some!
Robert Kuhlmann No It's not the purpose of government to generate revenues. Whenever the government does so, they move from the realm of protector to aggressor. The only way government can generate revenue is by extracting money from those who produced it by threatening to use physical force against them if they don't comply. Government's purpose is to protect the wealth, great or small, of those who create it, not to steal it. Government does not create products therefore government can not produce wealth; it can only take it from those who have.
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek
CandidateBrief ResponseFull Response
Bob Green Innes No I believe that other than some gas tax powers, this is a moot question for Hamilton since our tax rates are already uncompetitive. The pressure for more revenue stems from an inability to rein in expenditures, which in turn comes from an inability to say no to various pressure groups such as unions, developers and bankers.

Please note however that fully half of the taxes collected go toward education, a provincially mandated situation. The election of trustees that manage this money flies almost completely under the radar which allows for overspending, incumbentism, cronyism, and education politics that does not reflect what the public wants. The Family Coalition is the only party with sensible policies on such issues.
Mark Cripps Yes The infrastructure pressures facing cities is massive. All levels of government need to find ways to fund critical infrastructure projects. We can't ignore this looming crisis. Something has to be done.
Paul Miller Yes Ontario’s New Democrats recognize the fiscal challenges faced by municipalities, which is why we will allocate additional funds to infrastructure projects, continue to upload social service and court security costs by 2018, make the provincial gas tax permanent and fund 50% of the operating costs for municipal transit.

We also are committed to expanding municipal powers to generate revenue. For example, the Development Charges Act should ensure that growth pays for growth. We will also create opportunities for municipalities to engage in renewable energy projects.
W. Peter Randall Maybe I don't think it is easy to provide a straight yes or no to this question. In general I lean towards NO, However, it is dependent on the idea and the proposal.

It seems to me municipalities are not very good at generating revenue and do not have private sector type ambitions, safeguards etc in place.

IE Ever see the random loonies collected at public skating or at a public swimming pool?

Usually a teenager is manning the box and it is just such a tin box...no way to audit and know the accuracy of the count and the collections.

Theft could be involved, the teen may get up and go to the washroom when three people walk in, they may let friends in for free...ie the proper controls are not in place.

So in general I do not consider municipalities to be qualified to earn and maximize revenues in a great many areas.

However if you turn to other areas, such as investment returns on reserves then with CEO's, clerks and accountants municipalities are often very well versed in maximizing revenues in these areas.

As I say it depends on the specific proposal and the details of what would be granted to a municipality.
Hamilton Mountain
CandidateBrief ResponseFull Response
Hans Wienhold No In other words, do I think that governments should have MORE POWER to force innocent people to pay for its massive incompetence?

I would propose that people keep their own money and spend it upon things that are more compatible with their own priorities.

Call it respecting the dignity of those who do the work and earn the money.
Monique Taylor Yes Ontario’s New Democrats recognize the fiscal challenges faced by municipalities, which is why we will allocate additional funds to infrastructure projects, continue to upload social service and court security costs by 2018, make the provincial gas tax permanent and fund 50% of the operating costs for municipal transit.

We also are committed to expanding municipal powers to generate revenue. For example, the Development Charges Act should ensure that growth pays for growth. We will also create opportunities for municipalities to engage in renewable energy projects.
Sophia Aggelonitis Maybe The Municipal Act gives municipalities authority to raise revenue in a variety of ways, including property taxes and user fees. Other municipal source revenue mechanisms include: investment income, development charges (authority under the Development Charges Act), donations, revenue from other municipalities, and fines and penalties.

Ontario Liberals recognize that municipalities require tools to help them fund local infrastructure to service new growth. We are committed to uploading the costs that were forced on the backs of municipalities by the PCs. We are open to looking at any proposals brought forward by municipalities to generate revenue streams to fund new growth in their communities.
Tony Morris No The Green Party of Ontario promises to work with municipalities to strengthen our communities. By doing this, there would be no need for new revenue streams as each level of government would be responsible for paying for the services under their jurisdiction. Increasing local decision making is a theme of our platform www.itstimeforgreen.ca.

The Green Party is committed to ensuring that we're not downloading costs on municipalities, or adding new ones to communities limited property tax base. We will also support municipalities with infrastructure funds for active transportation and water and sewage upgrades.
Niagara West-Glanbrook
CandidateBrief ResponseFull Response
Anthony Marco Yes Ontario’s New Democrats recognize the fiscal challenges faced by municipalities, which is why we will allocate additional funds to infrastructure projects, continue to upload social service and court security costs by 2018, make the provincial gas tax permanent and fund 50% of the operating costs for municipal transit.

We also are committed to expanding municipal powers to generate revenue. For example, the Development Charges Act should ensure that growth pays for growth. We will also create opportunities for municipalities to engage in renewable energy projects.
Geoff Peacock No Not through taxes. The people of this province pay more than enough taxes already.
Tim Hudak No You raised the issue of development charges. I think that's the wrong approach. The last thing Ontario needs is yet another new tax. At a time when families are struggling just to get by, and the Canadian dream of home ownership is out of reach to more and more young families, we simply cannot afford to add to their tax burden.

I believe it's the government's role to create the right conditions for the private sector to succeed, to create jobs - and then get out of the way. That means getting the fundamentals right, principles like reducing red tape, providing reliable and affordable energy, and competitive tax rates.

Response Summary (top)

Brief ResponseCount% of Total
Yes942.9%
No838.1%
Maybe419.0%

21 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)

Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale
Donna Skelly
Peter Melanson
Rick Gundermann
Hamilton Centre
Anthony Gracey
Don Sheppard
Donna Tiqui-Shebib
Robert Szajkowski
Steven Passmore
Hamilton East-Stoney Creek
Gregg Pattinson
Nancy Fiorentino
Philip Doucette
Silas Khokar
Hamilton Mountain
Brian Goodwin
Geordie Elms
Jim Enos
Trevor Pettit
Niagara West-Glanbrook
Gerry Augustine
Katie Trombetta
Marty Poos
Meredith Cross
Rob Wienhold