No parties while we’re away

Every time you look at this photo, Edmonton's tax rate goes up $80. (Photo: George Watts)

You know, I was trying to think of a new or different angle on the Rexall Edmonton Indy when everyone was on about that money-loser last week.

Then, today we’ve got the City of Edmonton announcing its $500,000 bid for the 2017 Expo. That half-a-million dollars covers the next phase of the bid only. This puppy will come with a $2-billion dollar pricetag.

So I think I’ll tie the two together for a rant.

I’m really starting to feel like a parent who figures their child is responsible enough to be left home alone for the weekend.

I’ve left emergency contacts, money for groceries and have a neighbour ready to check in.

But then my kid, let’s call them “City of Edmonton,” goes and blows the wad of cash on pizza and a kegger. Pizza being the Indy and the kegger being Expo 2017. Since I support the kid I’m left paying to clean up the party mess. By party mess I mean my taxes will go up.

Hey, I like to party, but I also like transit that goes somewhere, streets cleared of snow now and again, libraries full of books and fees that don’t increase each year. Oh, and I like that stuff without tax increases surpassing inflation rates.

I know the Indy is locked up for another year (oh, do I know…) and it would cost money to pull out of the last year. I just hope the constant red ink convinces councillors to not sign a new deal. Maybe this time they’ll vote for Councillor Ron Hayter’s audit of the race money.

I’m all for people supporting the race. Just let them try and make some money on it.

Then there’s the Expo. I know that the idea there still are World’s Fairs was not on my radar before Edmonton started pursuing it. I bet most people didn’t know they still existed.

To be fair, the $2-billion pricetag includes upgrades to facilities, new facilities and new infrastructure like more LRT and a water taxi. (A water taxi? You can’t even run transit to people’s satisfaction.)

My novel idea is to build stuff that needs building, without bidding on an event people didn’t even realize was still around. Crazy, I know.

If the $2-billion cost is mostly tied into infrastructure and facilities make it a ten-year plan, spend $200-million each year, and if you come under budget you can throw a big party. It just kind of irks me that a lot of departments are cutting their budgets, some by right about $500,000, and money is going into an Expo plan.

A party is nice, but you can build stuff without it. And the Expo won’t take you to that “world-class” level we always hear about. Quick, who’s booking a trip to the last host city of the Expo? (I’m not even going to mention the city by name because you’re not going there.)

Be content with leaving a legacy of an upgraded city, but do it without frills. For that, I bet some taxpayers would throw you a party.