At Wednesday night’s Estevan mayoral forum, candidates shared their views on managing tax increases and city finances amid rising costs, with two questions coming from the public on this topic.
The first question asked whether candidates supported incremental tax increases to offset rising costs, such as the carbon tax.
Zacch Vandenhurk voiced frustration with tax increases, particularly the carbon tax, and said he would be committed to preventing further hikes in the city.
"Everyone’s already suffering enough with the inflation that’s going around, and I’ve had enough personally myself," Vandenhurk said.
Anthony Sernick said he was against incremental tax increases, adding that he believes the budget should determine whether an increase is necessary. He noted that during his first three years on council, the budget was strong, with a $2-million buffer for unforeseen costs. He criticized the two per cent tax increase in his final year on council, saying there was "really no explanation for it other than, well, we should increase the taxes because we never have in three years." However, he said he would be open to tax increases for specific projects.
Rebecca Foord said she opposed using taxes to raise funds, arguing that provincial and federal governments should stop charging municipalities carbon tax payments and PST on construction. She highlighted the financial strain these taxes create. While she does not support large tax hikes for major projects, she does support incremental tax increases to keep up with rising costs.
"The city, at the end of the day, is a business. We have to make sure our wages are competitive and that our highly skilled workers are being paid properly and fairly," Foord said.
She acknowledged the challenge of finding sufficient revenue with current resources.
The second question asked candidates for their ideas on reducing taxes.
Sernick said he doesn’t have plans to cut taxes but aims to maintain tax levels as they are. When asked if the community is getting value for its tax contributions, he acknowledged it’s likely not fully reflected in the services provided. He added that cutting taxes would lead to lost revenue, which would need to be compensated for, potentially through other financial impacts. Instead, he said he would focus on increasing revenue by utilizing local assets like land and water, aiming to sell water and develop vacant lots.
"We have what the world wants, and we need to start filling these lots," Sernick said, adding that this approach could help avoid future tax hikes.
Foord highlighted that providing value for tax dollars is always the goal of city council. She acknowledged that finding revenue to replace tax cuts is a challenge, adding that she would work with advocacy groups to reduce PST on construction projects and urge the federal government to stop imposing carbon taxes on city facilities. She also said Estevan’s tax rates are competitive.
"It’s really important to continue to find ways to raise revenues and to provide value for the tax dollars spent," Foord said.
Vandenhurk said taxation and inflation stem from surplus spending. While he doesn’t have a specific solution yet, he committed to working with the council and others to develop a plan to address the issue if elected.