Calgary Hospital
Re-Elect
Allan Elgar
Ward 4 Town
and Regional Councillor
Myth # 1: “We have suffered a 206% increase in debt in 2010”
Fact: If “we” refers to taxpayers, this statement is incorrect. The debt for Oakville residents has actually decreased 9% since 2006.
Fact: Our total debt can be divided into two categories: money that will be repaid by taxpayers (taxpayer debt) and money that will be repaid by others (self-supported debt). When our debt is divided into its two categories we can see a much more positive and informative view of our debt situation.
|
Type of Debt |
2006 Actual ($ millions) |
2010 |
2010 vs 2006 |
|
Taxpayer Debt |
|
|
|
|
Self-Supported Debt (primarily money that will be repaid by developers) |
|
|
This money will be repaid to the town with interest! |
|
Total Town Debt |
|
|
Source: Memo to Council Oct.1, 2010 from Town Deputy Treasurer
Fact: The Self-Supported debt is higher now because the town is putting needed
infrastructure into new communities first, before neighbourhoods are built.
Developers will pay this money back (with interest!).
Fact: Council voted to increase development charges substantially. This will go a long way in making developers pay more of the costs of growth, and remove the burden from taxpayers. Developers are fighting the development charge increase – we need a strong council going forward to ensure the gains we have made in this term of council are not lost!
|
Combined Oakville Average Tax Increase by year |
|
|
2010 |
1.50% |
|
2009 |
3.30% |
|
2008 |
3.78% |
|
2007 |
2.10% |
|
2006 |
2.30% |
|
2005 |
2.20% |
|
2004 |
5.97% |
|
2003 |
3.11% |
|
2002 |
2.99% |
|
2001 |
5.10% |
Myth # 2: Taxes are out of control
Fact: The average tax increase was reduced during this term of Council
2007-2010 average annual tax increase 2.67% (approx.
the rate of inflation)
2001-2006 average annual tax increase 3.61%
Fact: Council unanimously directed staff to prepare a draft 2011 budget for the newly elected Council to consider which would explore options to restrict a total property tax increase to approx. 3%. (Source: June 28, 2010 Council Minutes)
Fact: We have hosted dozens of budget meetings for public input. None of the other candidates for council attended or submitted budget comments to council in the last 4 years.
Myth # 3. If the development charges are increased substantially, developers will not build in Halton Region and jobs will be lost.
Fact: Developers want to build more units than the Region can
accommodate.
In Feb 2010 developers requested a total allocation of 9297 units. The Region
was only able to provide 6254 units based on the ability of the Region to
provide water and wastewater. Developers wanted 48.7% more units than the
Region could provide. So developers still want to build – big time!
Myth # 4. We will be on the hook for millions of dollars for the hospital over and above what was agreed to, and it will be charged to our taxes, and the cost is way out of line with other similar hospitals.
Facts:
| The Town has capped its donation at $130 million at the time of completion + $40 million over the next 30 years. |
| We have conditions that protect us – we’re last in – first out. Any savings are ours |
| The Town gets to keep the current OTMH site which is currently owned by the province. The Town is considering converting it into a facility for seniors. |
| Our hospital is to be built to state of the art standards – e.g. 80% of the rooms are single patient to help infectious diseases (instead of ward rooms) |
| Our new hospital price tag also includes a 30-year maintenance package (other new hospitals don’t have this feature). This will ensure our hospital is well built, and is still in excellent shape decades from now. Peterborough has a new hospital without the maintenance component and they are having trouble financing the maintenance costs. |
| Our current hospital was funded by the municipality as well |
| The South Calgary Hospital Campus is
a project of similar magnitude. Calgary Hospital |