Council candidates debate taxes, transparency and social supports at all-candidates forum

Candidate Anthony Okechukwu argued the city must improve accountability around capital projects, saying cost overruns have become too common.

“Every year we keep paying taxes,” Okechukwu said, arguing projects should stay within approved budgets and any surpluses should be carried forward to reduce future tax pressures.

Trudy Klassen pointed to her experience as a business owner, saying council must scrutinize spending while maintaining services. She argued current tax increases are unsustainable, particularly for seniors and residents on fixed incomes.

“We have to find a way to reduce taxes,” Klassen said, adding that council should closely examine spending and reconsider major projects such as the Civic Core proposal.

Shawn Bortolon cautioned against promises of tax freezes without considering the broader financial picture.

She said holding taxes at zero could require reductions in services or staffing, and argued council needs to examine alternative revenue sources and fundraising opportunities before making such commitments.

Candidates James Steidle, John Zukowski and Tucker Krause also voiced concerns about rising taxes, with each calling for greater fiscal restraint and increased scrutiny of municipal expenditures.

Candidates offered differing views on the role municipal taxes should play in funding social programs.

Incumbent councillor Cori Ramsay strongly supported city involvement in social initiatives, pointing to investments that helped address homelessness and close a downtown encampment.

“We can’t wait all the time for the province to step up,” Ramsay said, arguing municipalities must sometimes fill gaps to meet community needs.

Tim Bennett said council has a responsibility to ensure residents receive needed supports, noting that a large portion of the city’s budget is already directed toward protective services such as police, fire and bylaw enforcement.

Bennett suggested greater collaboration among social service providers could improve outcomes while making better use of taxpayer dollars.

Dan McLaren countered that taxpayers are already heavily funding the consequences of social issues through policing, firefighting and emergency responses. He argued many of those costs stem from responsibilities downloaded by the provincial government.

Meanwhile, Jesi Janjua said she supports using tax dollars for social programs but believes governments and service providers must also look for efficiencies and partnerships with community organizations.

Transparency and the use of closed council meetings emerged as another major issue.

Candidate Nicole Fraser said public trust has been damaged and argued council can do more to increase transparency. Fraser pointed to the number of closed meetings held in recent years and called for greater public disclosure when confidentiality is no longer required.

“There are many things we can do,” she said, including using plain language when explaining why meetings are closed and releasing more information to the public.

Incumbent councillor Tim Bennett acknowledged concerns about in-camera meetings but said the current council has made efforts to conduct more business in public and provide more regular reporting.

Current councillor Brian Skakun argued too many issues are still discussed behind closed doors and said council has a responsibility to make information public whenever possible.

Candidate Bob Radloff defended the need for confidentiality in matters involving land deals, labour negotiations and legal issues, saying council must follow provincial legislation governing closed meetings.

Candidates were also asked how they would address affordability and food insecurity in northern B.C.

Ron Polillo highlighted housing affordability, transportation costs and food security initiatives as priorities. He said council should support the development of mixed-income and accessible housing projects while working to keep transit affordable for vulnerable residents.

Okechukwu argued greater support is needed for agriculture and local food production, questioning whether governments are doing enough to support the sector.

Janjua called for efforts to attract more food production and grocery competition to the region, while Krause again emphasized controlling property taxes as a way to reduce financial pressure on residents.

The forum concluded with candidates discussing evidence-based harm reduction strategies and the opioid crisis.

Views varied widely.

Zukowski said the province should focus on expanding involuntary care and strengthening supports for people struggling with addiction, arguing the issue falls largely outside municipal jurisdiction.

Bortolon advocated for a balanced approach that includes mental health supports, outreach programs, policing and collaboration with downtown businesses.

McLaren was critical of current harm reduction approaches, arguing more resources should be directed toward treatment and recovery programs.

Skakun, however, said harm reduction saves lives and should remain part of the response to the toxic drug crisis. He also called for increased support for frontline non-profit organizations working with vulnerable residents.

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Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com

by Adam Berls

Council candidates debate taxes, transparency and social supports at all-candidates forum

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