Pallister won’t promise more money for municipalities

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This article was published 01/04/2016 (3484 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister would give municipalities more autonomy to decide how to spend money from the province.

In proper political jargon, it’s a ‘fair say’ policy.

And he’d bundle provincial departments into a one-stop window for approving muncipal projects.

In proper political jargon, it’s a ‘basket funding model’.

But more money for municipalities? Not so much.

Pallister said Friday that he would not extend any additional taxing powers to municipalities, nor would he give them money from the provincial sales tax, which he has vowed to cut from eight per cent to seven per cent. He would not commit to further money for rapid transit.

“Manitobans are taxed to the max,” Pallister told reporters outside city hall. “If you want higher taxes, you’ve got the NDP and the Liberals.”

Municipal governments feel frustrated over how long it takes to get provincial approval, Pallister said — and even if one department green lights a project, there could be 15 departments with a say, and one could call a halt after everyone else has signed off. They feel disrespected, said Pallister.

“We need a single window of access for local governments,” said the Tory leader.

Pallister reiterated that the Tories would provide $1 billion for infrastructure, with no extras.

Mayoir Brian Bowman later lauded Pallister for letting municipalities make their own spending decisions. “I would encourage all Winnipegers to look more closely,” said Bowman.

Bowman said he was not disappointed that Pallister would not offer new sources of money.

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Pallister insisted that his single-window idea would not reduce provincial oversight in any way. “There are good reasons to delay some projects at some times,” he said, but without “massive waste of everypone’s time.”

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca