Steven Haase

City/Township Council · Woolwich Ward 2

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

This candidate finalized their responses after this guide and scoring methodology was published.

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
Area-specific levies where residents in a defined area receive or request a distinct level of service
Actively pursue provincial and federal transfer funding and grants

D. Growth & cost recovery

Ensure new development pays a greater share of long-term infrastructure costs
Re-evaluate development incentives or subsidies that create long-term liabilities

B. Service levels

Maintain current service levels, even if taxes rise
Adjust service delivery models to reduce costs without reducing access
Hold service levels and staff performance to a clear
measurable standard. Better tools and approaches
like online services
simpler processes and faster response tracking
can lower costs and give residents a better experience at the same time.

C. Capital & infrastructure

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

Before asking residents to pay more, I'd want the township to show it's getting the most out of what it already spends. I would want to see clear service standards for common requests like building permits, road complaints and bylaw issues. Track how long each one takes, and publish the results. Then use better tools, such as online applications, request tracking and simpler approval steps, to meet those standards with less staff time. Savings found this way can go toward road and bridge repair before a tax increase is considered. When an increase is needed, residents will have good reason to trust that the money is being used well.

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

Most residents never see the budget until it's already decided. I'd like to change that in three ways. First, ask residents about priorities before the draft budget is written, not after. That could be a short online survey or a drop-in evening in each ward. Second, publish a plain-language summary alongside the full budget. It would show what the average household pays, how that splits between the township, the Region and the school boards, and what each dollar buys. Third, I'd put out short updates and explainer videos during budget season, so people can follow the key decisions without sitting through hours of meetings.