City Hall
Inventory of tax and utility relief programs does get the go-ahead
Couns. Sean Chu's and Ward Sutherland's two-part tax motion was half successful when it was brought before city council members at their July 28 meeting.
In a unanimous vote it was agreed that the city should compile an inventory of programs that provide tax and utility relieffor Calgarians.
However, the second part of the motion was defeated in an 8-7 vote. That motion would have empowered administration to prepare a study outlining the impacts of tax and utility increases on low-income households when it comes to the council adjusting its budget.
- By Quinton Amundson & Paulina Liwski
Council hopes specific times will encourage safety and reduce driver confusion
Significant changes to Calgary school and playground zone times are coming in September.
At its July 22 meeting , council voted — despite major opposition from Mayor Naheed Nenshi — to change the current playground zone and school zone times from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Coun. Shane Keating said these playground and school zone timing changes are necessary to help decrease driver confusion in the city.
- By Paulina Liwski
City will hold a strategic planning session on corporate financing in the fall.
In a 11-3 vote, Calgary council shot down a motion at its June 23 meeting that would have seen city administration compile a report on the implications of raising the city's debt servicing limits.
Currently, the debt servicing limit is at about 28 per cent, which is 80 per cent of the acceptable debt-servicing limit of 35 per cent determined by the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
- By Paulina Liwski and Quinton Amundson
Calgary administrators to examine ways to increase downtown office parking
Ant
icipating dramatic population growth in the next few years, Calgary city council gave its administration the green light to explore options to increase downtown parking.
In a unanimous decision June 23, administration was charged with the task of examining options to increase the amount of parking spaces for downtown offices.
- By Quinton Amundson