ProtectingTaxpayers
Spend wisely. Borrow carefully. Show the numbers.
Residents work hard for every dollar they earn and Town Hall should do the same.
Keeping taxes low is not about making promises that sound good during an election. It is about making smarter decisions every day, controlling costs, planning ahead, and ensuring taxpayers receive real value for every dollar spent.
As Mayor, I will always focus on finding efficiencies, improving accountability and reducing unnecessary costs before asking residents to pay more.
Every spending decision should answer a simple question: does this provide clear value to the residents who are paying for it? If the answer is no, we should rethink it.
Keeping taxes low is not achieved through slogans. It is achieved through discipline, transparency, careful planning and responsible leadership.
Protecting taxpayers starts with respecting the money taxpayers worked hard to earn.
Build Forward, Don’t Restart
Stop paying twice for the same work.
One of the biggest drivers of municipal costs is constantly revisiting, redesigning, or restarting projects that have already been approved.
Major projects require careful planning and public input, but once a decision has been made, a new Council must remain focused on delivering results. Repeatedly reopening completed work wastes staff time, consultant fees, legal costs and taxpayer dollars.
The full policy on Infrastructure FirstMy approach will be simple: make informed decisions, show the work, and move projects forward responsibly.
Infrastructure First
Maintain it before it becomes a crisis.
Ignoring roads, drainage systems, water infrastructure and other core assets only makes future repairs more expensive.
By maintaining infrastructure before it reaches a crisis point, we can reduce emergency repairs, avoid costly failures, and make better use of taxpayer dollars.
The full Infrastructure First planPreventative maintenance is almost always less expensive than emergency replacement.
Transparent Budget Reporting
Track the spending all year, not once a year.
Taxpayers should be able to see where their money is going.
I will implement public financial dashboards and simplified budget reporting so residents can track spending throughout the year. Greater transparency creates greater accountability and helps identify problems before they become costly.
The full policy on Financial TransparencyWhen residents can see the numbers, Council is encouraged to make better decisions.
Efficiency Reviews Before Tax Increases
Look for savings before asking for more.
Before considering tax increases, the Town should first examine opportunities to improve efficiency.
Regular operational reviews can identify outdated processes, duplicated efforts, unnecessary spending, and opportunities to modernize services.
The goal is not to reduce services. The goal is to deliver services more efficiently.
Technology That Saves Money
Less paperwork, more service.
Modern technology can help staff spend less time on paperwork and more time serving residents.
Responsible use of digital tools, automation, and artificial intelligence can improve customer service, reduce administrative burdens, and lower operating costs without reducing service levels.
Technology should support staff and taxpayers alike.
Responsible Growth Pays for Growth
New development carries its own weight.
Growth should help strengthen the community, not create financial burdens for existing residents.
New development must be supported by realistic infrastructure planning and appropriate cost recovery measures so that growth contributes fairly toward the infrastructure and services it requires.
The full policy on Growth Pays for GrowthExisting taxpayers should not be left paying the bill for growth-related expenses.
Smarter Procurement and Fair Competition
Competition protects taxpayers.
I will support transparent procurement practices, clear evaluation criteria, and independent oversight for major contracts to ensure the Town receives the best value for money.
Every dollar saved through better purchasing is a dollar that does not need to come from taxpayers.
Debt With Discipline
Borrow carefully, and explain why.
Borrowing can be a useful tool for major infrastructure projects, but it must be approached carefully and transparently.
Residents deserve to understand how much debt the Town carries, what it is being used for, and how it will be repaid.
Long-term financial decisions should be made with long-term consequences in mind.
Preventing Costly Mistakes
The most expensive problems start as poor decisions.
Some of the largest costs facing municipalities do not come from day to day operations, they come from poor decisions.
Better transparency, stronger business cases, independent analysis, and a Show Your Work Government can help identify risks before commitments are made.
The full policy on Show Your Work GovernmentGood decisions save money. Bad decisions create costs that taxpayers may be paying for years.
Protecting taxpayers starts with respecting their money.
Protecting Taxpayers is the third of four pillars. The rest of the plan is on the platform.
Tell Leslie what you think.
Municipal government works best when residents stay in it.