Everton Dixon
City/Township Council · Kitchener Ward 10
Back to candidatesBudget & Taxes
It should be more transparent and accessible
- Moderate, predictable tax increases to maintain service levels
- Exploring new local revenue tools where permitted by provincial legislation
- Ensure growth pays for growth by capturing developer contributions and implementing a vacant land speculation tax subclass.
- Ensure new development pays a greater share of long-term infrastructure costs
- Re-evaluate development incentives or subsidies that create long-term liabilities
- Enforce strict 'growth pays for growth' policies and close developer exemption loopholes that drain municipal reserves.
- Adjust service delivery models to reduce costs without reducing access
- Reduce discretionary programs to protect core services
- Partner with community non-profits and peer-employment networks to deliver front-line municipal services cost-effectively."
- Prioritize maintenance and state-of-good-repair over expansion
- Require lifecycle cost analysis before approving any new infrastructure
- Defer or cancel capital projects with low long-term return on investment
Please describe one concrete example of a trade-off you would support (or oppose) when costs rise faster than revenues.candidate's own words
When municipal costs outpace revenue, I strictly oppose cutting core services for low-income residents, youth, or seniors such as subsidized recreation, community centre access, or winter footpath safety. Instead, the trade-off I support is re-evaluating corporate development incentives and deferring low-ROI capital expansions. We must stop subsidizing infrastructure connections for speculative commercial builds and high-intensity grid-draining developments. As a licensed mortgage broker, I evaluate municipal spending through asset valuation and long-term return on investment: every tax dollar must preserve core community services while keeping property taxes predictable for working families and retirees.
Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on budgets?candidate's own words
A municipal budget is not just a ledger of revenues and expenses; it is a reflection of our collective values and priorities as a community. Evaluating municipal finances through property assessment and asset management means looking at long-term lifecycle returns rather than short-term political talking points. Artificially freezing tax rates while ignoring underground infrastructure maintenance simply kicks catastrophic repair bills down the road to future generations.Our council must work collaboratively across all wards and alongside Regional partners to build consensus on fiscal decisions. When we protect essential municipal services, hold the line on utility assets, ensure growth pays for growth, and engage the community directly in financing solutions, we create a Kitchener that is both fiscally sound and deeply supportive of every resident.
If you chose "It should be more transparent and accessible", please describe how.candidate's own words
Budget documents must be stripped of bureaucratic jargon and presented with full itemized clarity down to the individual project level, rather than disguised under top-line department totals. Residents deserve to see exactly where every tax dollar goes, including consultant fees, legal expenses, and developer incentive packages. Furthermore, Kitchener should hold ward-level participatory budget sessions so working-class residents and seniors can directly review municipal priorities before final council votes.