Syed Tirmizi
City/Township Council · Waterloo Ward 4
Back to candidatesBudget & 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
- Prioritize not increasing taxes and service fees
- Actively pursue provincial and federal transfer funding and grants
D. Growth & cost recovery
- New development should pay its fair share of the long-term infrastructure costs it creates, without making housing unnecessarily expensive or discouraging builders from investing in new housing. The goal should be a balanced approach that supports growth while protecting existing taxpayers.
B. Service levels
- Adjust service delivery models to reduce costs without reducing access
- Reduce discretionary programs to protect core services
C. Capital & infrastructure
- Prioritize maintenance and state-of-good-repair over expansion
- For **C. Capital & Infrastructure**, I suggest keeping the selecMaintenance and state-of-good-repair should be a priority, but it should not automatically prevent necessary expansion. With careful planning, efficient use of resources, and responsible cost management, municipalities should be able to maintain existing infrastructure while investing in growth where it is needed.
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 costs rise, I would first look to defer lower-priority projects and improve efficiency before considering any increase over inflation benchmark. Core services and essential infrastructure should remain the priority.