The six candidates for mayor worked to differentiate themselves on how they would manage the balance between
controlling spending and providing services.
UNBC's political science department hosted the candidates for a forum at the university Wednesday.
"We need to find a way to provide taxpayers a break - but still provide the services people need," Mayor Dan Rogers said. "If we truly want to be fiscally responsible, we can't say we want more and to pay less. The math just doesn't work."
Rogers said the current city council allocated a record $3.5
million this year to road rehabilitation.
"[But] it's not just one element. Public safety absolutely has to be there," Rogers said. "Continual improvement has to be there."
Finding a way to "make a better product," but keep costs under control is an ongoing challenge for city council, he said.
Coun. Shari Green renewed her commitment to hold a full review of the city's core services if elected. Residents and business owners are concerned about unsustainable tax increases year
after year, she said.
"It's time to live within our means. There is a limited pool of money," Green said. "Certainly it's important that we find
efficiencies. It's not about closing pools or laying people off."
Green said the city needs to, "change the conversation about Prince George," to attract new residents and investment - which would broaden the tax base.
Green also used the forum as an opportunity to address an issue which has been dogging her campaign: snow removal.
In a city budget meeting on Feb. 10, 2009 Green suggested the city should consider not clearing snow from residential streets or lowering the service level for residential areas.
"I have never voted in favour of, or suggested, we don't clear residential roads," Green said. "I will absolutely not vote to reduce snow [removal] service."
Candidate Alex Huber said the city is facing rising costs for fuel, utility and union wages. "Costs keep going up ... but we don't seem to be able to broaden our tax base, " Huber said. "Costs will go up. The only way we can avoid it is to grow our tax base."
Huber said he'd like to see the city increase its population to a minimum of 100,000 people in the next decade.
Candidate Eugene Fetterly said the city has to focus on core
services: road maintenance and snow removal.
"Taxes will have to be paid," Fetterly said. "I think the essential services would be better left in the hands of the people doing the work, not the bureaucrat saying how and when."
Candidate Bruce Fader suggested the city look at growth-oriented policies and projects like building a light rail transit system to link College Heights and the Hart to downtown.
Candidate Brandon Lewis said he would take an analytical
approach to control spending and focus on core services.
"We need to find a way to control what we spend," Lewis said.
