Parking

The position of aldermanic candidate Joe Mauro on the subject of downtown parking: "Let the BRZ "patrol and police and make secure" their area, just like the malls do their own." He then goes on to say, "I believe the downtown is it's own little entity,".

What else would you offload in this sovereignty association? Do they need to process their own sewage and collect their own garbage, too? Is this kind of divisive talk and disowning of part of the city really productive?

I'm just asking.

(For the full context, be sure to read the LethbridgeAccountability responses)

How Taxes Work: A primer for civic election.

I was reading through another raft of candidate questions this evening and I saw this socially relevant question: "...do you support existing social housing programs and initiatives to end homelessness?"

One mayoral candidate said: "These programs should not be a burden on tax payers, but a government responsibility."

And now, the short version of how taxation works.

Citizens pay taxes to some common pool. That common pool is managed by (in Canada) an elected government. That elected government spends the money on behalf of (and presumably to the benefit of) the citizens. The government is of the citizens; it IS the citizens. And the citizens are the taxpayers.

And that is the tidy little loop.

Even if that candidate meant "civic tax payers" and "another level of government's responsibility" the answer really doesn't show full comprehension of how taxes work. If another level of government is providing funding, it STILL come from our pockets!

Probably won't vote for that one, nor for anyone who doesn't understand the basic concept.

I'm just saying.