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 demonstrates that local choices about service provision and delivery matter. Next week, Alberta voters will elect their local governments, and the issue of municipal spending will be a key consideration.
A recent study found that Grande Prairie County and Red Deer County were among Alberta's highest-spending municipalities on a per-person basis in 2023.
Taxpayers should know how much their municipal governments spend.
Authors: Tegan Hill and Austin Thompson.
Summary: Taxpayers deserve transparency on municipal government spending.