Calgary's MLA's raise and Calgary's increase property tax

[Daxin]

I'm a little upset by the fact that Calgary's MLA's are getting a 4.5% income raise while at the same time, considering raising the property tax by up to 10% for next year.

Most Calgarian's get 3% or less in raises and hitting us with a 10% increase in property tax does not help at all. Didn't Dave Bronc promise us a 4.5% or minimal increase to help the home-owners if he was re-elected? With the increase in gas, natural gas, electricity, etc, etc. How is the average Calgarian gonna get by when MLA's get ahead while the average person does not?

Apparently, Dave replied by saying that the city is growing too fast. If the city is growing, idn't he getting extra revenue from those people entering into this city?

[schocker]

What do MLA's have to do with calgary's property taxes

[badatusrnames]

Originally posted by schocker
What do MLA's have to do with calgary's property taxes

[Mixalot27]

The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Its the way its always been and will always be. After all everyone knows we love the status quo.

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by Daxin
I'm a little upset by the fact that Calgary's MLA's are getting a 4.5% income raise while at the same time, considering raising the property tax by up to 10% for next year.

As already mentioned, MLAs and the city are two totally different things.

Most Calgarian's get 3% or less in raises and hitting us with a 10% increase in property tax does not help at all. Didn't Dave Bronc promise us a 4.5% or minimal increase to help the home-owners if he was re-elected? With the increase in gas, natural gas, electricity, etc, etc. How is the average Calgarian gonna get by when MLA's get ahead while the average person does not?

Contrary to what you're reading in the papers, the average Calgarian will still be able to food on the table, even with increased taxes. BTW, if you look around a little bit, you'll also find that Calgary has some of the lowest property taxes around.

Apparently, Dave replied by saying that the city is growing too fast. If the city is growing, idn't he getting extra revenue from those people entering into this city?

Yes he is, unfortunately the money needed to develop the required infrastructure is not a direct relationship with the number of people in the city, it's exponential.

[Daxin]

Originally posted by schocker
What do MLA's have to do with calgary's property taxes

They give them a higher raise while at the same time increase tax's. If I were making over 100K's a year, would I care how much to tax the population?

[Daxin]

Sorry, I made a mistake. The city council is different from the MLA's regarding the taxations.

[Mixalot27]

Originally posted by Daxin


They give them a higher raise while at the same time increase tax's. If I were making over 100K's a year, would I care how much to tax the population?

You might if the population are the ones who determine if you get to keep your job, in theory anyway. Unless you live in Calgary, or Alberta in general, of course. Then you get re-elected regardless of what you do.

[Daxin]

Hi Eleanor,

What would you consider an average yearly wage to sustain a basic life in Calgary?

[rc2002]

Calgarians have a LOT of disposable money. Most people will barely feel the increase. Even so, I would like to see newcomers taxed more heavily since most of the increase in taxes is because of them.

[blownz]

Isn't the MLA's 4.5% raise linked to the average wage increase in AB? If so how can you complain about that? If you are underpaid at work either work harder to get a raise or find a new job. Don't whine that other people get a bigger raise than you do.

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by Daxin
Hi Eleanor,

What would you consider an average yearly wage to sustain a basic life in Calgary?

$35,406.87 exactly

You can't just stick a number on it, I know a lot of people who are working $12 - $15 an hour jobs and still managing to live fairly comfortably in Calgary. MLA's are making a lot less then they could be in the private sector.

[SilverRex]

anyone know what is the market salary increases are like in the past few years?

the only positive I know is, if Calgary is indeed growing alot faster than one expects. I better hope my salary increase this year will reflect that as it is market based.

[malbadon]

we've been one of the lowest property taxed major cities in Canada for far too long, and city infrastructure has lagged due to it.
Not that my pocketbook complained.

[Weapon_R]

Originally posted by Eleanor

MLA's are making a lot less then they could be in the private sector.

A few years back, the Liberals cried about the MLA wages. The government brought in an independent company to assess their wages and determined they were badly underpaid. You don't hear anyone from the opposition complaining anymore.

[Eleanor]

Originally posted by Weapon_R


A few years back, the Liberals cried about the MLA wages. The government brought in an independent company to assess their wages and determined they were badly underpaid. You don't hear anyone from the opposition complaining anymore.

They're not complaining cause they just gave themselves a wage increase.

[Antonito]

Originally posted by Eleanor


They're not complaining cause they just gave themselves a wage increase.

By that logic, they wouldn't have been complaining in the first place