Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook Society provides grassroots leadership and an inclusive process, with a voice for all community members, to ensure that our community grows and develops in a way that incorporates an environmental ethic, offers a range of housing and transportation choices, encourages a vibrant and cultural life and supports sustainable, meaningful employment and business opportunities.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Municipal Auditor General - Coming Soon to a Community Near You?

The Liberal Government has informed municipalities that they are planning to put into place a Municipal Auditor General (MAG) to oversee local government spending. Needless to say this decision has not been warmly met by most municipal governments  including our own City Council. Concerns include who will pay for it, increased bureaucracy, duplication of auditing which is already required, why is the province creating a solution when there might not be a problem and the removal of decision making from our democratically elected officials.

Our City does have an open budgeting process and Council Meetings are open to the public. The provincial government believes that the MAG will provide taxpayers with increased assurance that their tax dollars are being well spent.  Many business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce are supportive of the idea of a MAG. The Chamber feels that a MAG would support their policy that the traditional tax model of most municipalities ,which charge businesses more than residential homeowners, is wrong.  Many homeowners who feel they are already heavily taxed might disagree.

This will become a real hot button issue and and we should all be paying attention to it.  In the upcoming municipal elections, Nov 19, we should be asking the candidates what their stand is on the MAG. What do you think? Do you think that our City Council needs some oversight by the province on their spending?

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