How do you plan to control costs for residents

Major expenses and projects need to be addressed in town halls or referendums before proceeding. The township needs to do a line by line audit of all expenses. Cut duplication and get back to basics delivering core services.

Great questions and this is at the very route of the problem. Any capital outlay that is not in the routine capital asset plan as approved by our new Council after review, over $250, 000 ( unless deemed an emergency) needs to be justified to the taxpayers & New Council before proceeding. Any major purchase (Ie land or other capital project expense) must be openly discussed with taxpayers for approval via a survey or referendum depending on situation. In terms of getting tax rate close to inflation we must prioritize programs, reduce non core services, and do review of operational efficiencies for both staffing, position classification, as well as as put a hold on new hires. Remember that staffing/benefits are consuming over 60% of Tiny’s operational budget alone.

Subject: Re: Controlling Municipal Costs, Safeguards, and Taxpayer Accountability Hello, Thank you for asking such a fundamental question about how we rein in municipal spending and ensure council never again ignores the will of our ratepayers. This issue is the exact reason I entered local advocacy back in 2023. I organized and led the grassroots "Stop the Build" movement, working alongside Dr. Borys Kowalsky to take our community's petition directly to Queen’s Park to demand a referendum on the new administration building. For the past three years, holding the line on runaway spending has been a full-time, volunteer commitment for me. I know firsthand how frustrating it has been to see council push forward with massive capital commitments without an electoral mandate. To prevent this from ever happening again and to control municipal costs going forward, here are the safeguards and immediate plans I will implement: 1. Community Safeguards & Mandatory Consultation Referendums / Plebiscites on Mega-Projects: Council should never have the unilateral power to commit tens of millions of dollars to non-essential discretionary capital builds without direct voter approval. I will push for municipal policies that require major, non-mandated capital projects exceeding set fiscal thresholds to be put to a binding plebiscite or referendum during municipal elections. Open Town Halls & Broad Surveys: Before major votes occur, council must conduct genuine, well-advertised town halls and comprehensive resident surveys—presenting clear options with their true, attached price tags—rather than relying on closed-door committee recommendations. 2. Establishing an Independent Citizen Finance Advisory Committee A Second Set of Professional Eyes: Township staff prepare complex annual operating and capital budgets and variance reports. If elected, I will move to establish a Volunteer Citizen Finance Committee made up of qualified local residents. Already in Motion: I have already spoken with three retired professional accountants in our community who are seriously interested in volunteering their time. This committee will independently review draft budgets, line-by-line departmental allocations, and variance reports before council votes, providing unbiased recommendations directly to council to root out inefficiencies. 3. Immediate Audit of Current Commitments (Administration Centre) Uncovering the True Figures: To protect taxpayers, we must first know exactly where our money has gone. I currently have an extensive Freedom of Information (FOI) request filed to examine the administration centre’s general ledger accounts and contractual commitments. Full Public Disclosure: While FOI documents often come back heavily redacted, the day I take office, I will sit down directly with the CAO, project managers, and finance staff to get the unredacted numbers. We will lay every executed contract, penalty clause, and spent dollar out in an open town hall so the public can weigh the realistic options and costs together. 4. Keeping Tax Hikes at or Below the Rate of Inflation Line-by-Line Zero-Based Review: Every municipal department must justify its budget from the ground up, prioritizing core infrastructure—such as road maintenance, drainage remediation, and emergency services—over administrative overhead, expensive external consultants, and unnecessary legal battles. Flipping the Script on Municipal Growth: Taxes cannot continue escalating at projected rates of 30% to 40%. By enforcing strict fiscal discipline, leveraging volunteer professional expertise, and ending runaway discretionary spending, council can keep municipal tax increases aligned with the rate of inflation or lower. Township Hall belongs to the people who pay the bills. It is time for leadership that treats every single tax dollar with the respect it deserves. Kind regards, Karen Zulynik Candidate for Deputy Mayor, Tiny Township https://voteforkaren.ca/

I am glad to see my fellow new council members share my same convictions. I have commented for years that tax increases should be targeted to the cost of living and the annual budget surpluses have proven my contention. Any project that would take the budget over this level or require taking on debt must be vetted by the taxpayers and I would propose this be enshrined in policy.