Taxpayers Should Know Municipal Government Spending
Tegan Hill and Austin Thompson argue that taxpayers have the right to know how much their municipal governments spend.
In rural areas, the cost of roads, parks, and emergency services is shared among fewer people. However, high spending is not inevitable, as some rural municipalities have managed to spend significantly less.
This variation in spending is a result of local choices about which services to provide and how to deliver them.
A recent study found that Grande Prairie County and Red Deer County were among Alberta's highest-spending municipalities per person in 2023.
Taxpayers should now know how much their municipal governments spend.
With local elections approaching in Alberta, voters will have the opportunity to shape their municipal governments and influence spending decisions.
Author's summary: Taxpayers should be aware of municipal government spending.