All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes Water

Colleen James

Regional Council · Region of Waterloo

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All topics Housing Getting Around Climate Food Growth & Planning Budget & Taxes Water

Budget & Taxes

Do you think the Region's or municipality's budget process should be more transparent and accessible to residents?single choice

It should be more transparent and accessible

Municipal and regional costs have generally risen faster than revenues restricted by property tax rules and limited local revenue tools. How would you balance tax increases against maintaining service levels and long-term financial sustainability?select up to 3 per part
A. Revenue approaches
  • Moderate, predictable tax increases to maintain service levels
  • Actively pursue provincial and federal transfer funding and grants
  • Exploring new local revenue tools where permitted by provincial legislation
D. Growth & cost recovery
  • Re-evaluate development incentives or subsidies that create long-term liabilities
B. Service levels
No response
C. Capital & infrastructure
  • Require lifecycle cost analysis before approving any new infrastructure

If you chose "It should be more transparent and accessible", please describe how.candidate's own words

I have made transparency and accessibility a priority in my own approach as a Regional Councillor, including communicating budget decisions, explaining the rationale behind them, and encouraging residents to participate in the process. I believe the Region has information available to the public, but the bigger challenge is often meaningful engagement. Budget documents can be technical and difficult for residents to navigate, and many people do not know when or how to provide input before decisions are made. I would support making the budget process easier to understand, with clearer public-facing information about major investments, trade-offs and potential impacts, and more proactive opportunities for residents to engage before decisions are finalized. Transparency is not simply making information public. It is making sure residents can understand it, access it and have a meaningful opportunity to shape decisions.