QUALITY OF LIFE: WE CAN AFFORD TO CARE
GREEN MUNICIPALITIES
Municipal governments deliver the frontline services that help make communities safe, clean, and prosperous. Unfortunately, years of provincial government under-funding and downloading of services have left them in a chronic state of crisis. This situation is illustrated by the gradual erosion of municipal services at the same time as property taxes steadily increase. This disturbing pattern must be reversed if cities and towns are to continue as net creators of wealth, enhanced cultural diversity, and learning. The Green Party has a plan for renewing municipal government and revitalizing our cities and towns.
We would:
- mandate municipalities to assess buildings and land separately, and then shift the tax away from the building and onto land. Taxing land rather than buildings will result in more efficient use of land by discouraging parking lots, speculation and derelict land. Significantly reducing the tax on buildings will encourage building of rental units and more affordable and energy-efficient housing without incurring greatly increased municipal taxes from these new investments.
- grant municipalities more powers to create new revenue streams (i.e., a public-transit infrastructure-development charge on suburban development);
- increase the low-interest municipal-lending fund-pool from one billion to three billion dollars.
- Establish Watershed Area Development Councils that would be responsible for approving and controlling new developments and planning transportation infrastructure outside of city boundaries.
- develop a provincially supported partnership program with cities to revitalize core urban areas.
- establish stronger conflict-of-interest guidelines for municipal councillors and ban election donations from developers and corporations.
- invest in the development/operation of extensive local public-transit alternatives and cycling infrastructure.