Quote:
Originally Posted by SmokWawelski
Sir. Humphrey.Appleby
I realize that we comperatively pay lower property taxes then people in other cities. However, my issue with regards to efficiencies is waste. Good example would be the work that was done on a stretch of Crowchild Trail between 53rd and Sarcee. It was done and redone about 5 times. That wonderful gauntlet of Shagannapie and Crowchild where you must go through 3 sets of lights which are not synchronized to move traffic quickly. I also am aware that our huge tax hike was do in large part to the Al do nothing Doer and his lack of leadership. This I think was the biggest failure of Calgary. At that time a lot of the projects we are now awaiting would have cost a lot less .
Is there a reason why the city can not issue municipal bonds in this low interest environment for large scale projects such as putting the LRT line underground? Are Calgary's hand tied when it comes to better or more innovative ways of financing? After all we all(or most of us) have borrowed for the next 25 or 30 years.....
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Yes, the city can only borrow money through the province's Alberta Municipal Financing Corporation. It is also the law to only allow loan servicing costs comprise 25% of a municipal budget. Innovative financing still costs money, and remember, you are talking about the capital side while the operational side is almost exclusively the only impact on city taxes.
They could also have only dug up the road once, but I am sure the people that used those lanes in the mean time appreciated the lanes being open. Paving is pretty cheap. Those lights are likely there to make sure the Shag interchange does not create a bottleneck by allowing to many cars onto the road.