Letter — Brandon’s mayoral candidates need to try harder
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“We weren’t going to do 13 per cent a year, it’s just not palpable. We’re trying to get this to where it is palpable. We know we’re going to put ourselves in a better position going forward at around that seven.”
— Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett
“The key is to move taxes forward at a responsible level. Talking about 10 or 11 per cent increases is unattainable. We need to be realistic about what we need, what we want, and what we can afford. I am thinking this year … probably around six to seven per cent.”
Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett speaks at the Strong Cities Network Sixth Global Summit in Toronto on Tuesday. (Supplied)
— Len Isleifson
If it weren’t for how Jeff Fawcett phrased his comments, the quotes from these two men would have made for a fun “who said it?” guessing game with your average voter on the streets of Brandon. I doubt most voters would have had better odds than a coin flip.
If passing a budget is one of the most important things any government does, then candidates sharing “their” number or broader judgment is one of the key ways they pitch themselves to voters.
A percentage point of difference (if there’s even a difference) isn’t going to engage voters. Turnout is embarrassingly low in this city. Such banal differences may even discourage voters from casting a ballot.
With nine months to go before the next municipal election, voters deserve a lot more from these two mayoral candidates on what they’re pitching.
Voters who are sympathetic to our incumbent council’s situation want Fawcett to more strongly defend his council’s record. Voters who are motivated by the rising costs of taxes and utility rates are looking for a candidate who is critical and offers something different.
Both these groups of voters deserve strong representation. Please try again, gentlemen. Give us something with a little more “oomph.”
JAMES EPP
Brandon