Reboot Alberta

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Update on Obergs 75/25 Infrastructure Solution

Interesting to see the Calgary Herald's Danielle Smith modifying her stance on Dr. Oberg's scheme to share the local property taxes between the municipalities and the local school boards. This is a device designed by an Oberg-Bronconnier alliance and only involves those two. Steele apparently liked the idea at first but is now saying "School Funding not Mayor's Role." I agree with her. The Mayor of Calgary, or any other municipality, ought not to be the person who decides where and when schools get built. Local school boards working with the province are the proper people to undertake that responsibility.

This blog was unimpressed with the Dr. Oberg 75/25 solution as well. This is fiscal burden being shifted by a leadership candidate to a level of government that can't serve its mandate now and this scheme does not solve that problem. It makes it worse. The province has responsibilities and a role to play here. The municipal and scholl infrastrucutre problems are worse because of Oberg's past delay and denial, as the Minister responsible, that public infrastructure needed attention.

Delegating a duty is one thing and may be acceptable from time to time. Abdicating a responsibility, like Dr. Oberg's infrastructure scheme, is not appropriate.

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