Joe Gowing
Regional Council · Region of Waterloo
Back to candidatesBudget & Taxes
It should be more transparent and accessible
- 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
- Ensure new development pays a greater share of long-term infrastructure costs
- Re-evaluate development incentives or subsidies that create long-term liabilities
- Adjust service delivery models to reduce costs without reducing access
- Reduce discretionary programs to protect core services
- 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
I would support deferring a new or expanded Regional facility until there is clear evidence that existing space cannot be consolidated, adapted or shared more efficiently. I brought forward the Facilities Strategic Plan that Regional Council approved because we need a complete inventory of our buildings, their utilization, operating costs, condition and five-to-ten-year requirements. That information should come before committing taxpayers to new construction and decades of additional maintenance. When revenues are tight, maintaining existing infrastructure and protecting core frontline services should take priority over expanding the Region’s physical footprint. A tax increase should not be used to avoid making responsible decisions about underused assets or lower-priority spending.
Would you like to provide any additional context for your views on budgets?candidate's own words
My professional background in financial services and my work on Regional Council have taught me that neither automatic tax increases nor artificial tax freezes are responsible financial plans. I have pushed for stronger long-term facilities planning, closer examination of major contracts, measurable results from new spending and detailed reporting on programs such as A Better Tent City. Residents deserve to know not only how much government is spending, but what results that spending is producing. Before raising taxes, Council should examine service-delivery models, procurement, grants, partnerships, asset utilization and lower-priority spending. When an increase is necessary to maintain essential services or infrastructure, it should be moderate, predictable and clearly connected to a publicly explained need. One-time funding should not create permanent operating costs without a sustainable plan to pay for them.
If you chose "It should be more transparent and accessible", please describe how.candidate's own words
Public budget documents are available, but availability does not always mean accessibility. Residents should receive a plain-language summary showing the proposed household impact, service changes, new spending, reductions, debt, reserve use and major capital commitments well before the final vote. Each major proposal should identify its full lifecycle cost, funding source and measurable outcome. The Region should also maintain a public dashboard showing whether major projects are on budget and schedule and whether approved service investments are achieving their intended results.