Why is Saint John city council discussing the cities debt and tax rate behind closed doors?

Well, not everyone agrees with discussing the debt and tax rate behind closed doors. Councillor Stephen Chase has asked council to bring forward the document about the city’s debt and tax rate. Chase said that the documents are about the effect of capital spending on the tax rate from 2007 to 2011.

“This is clearly an example of one that should not have been behind closed doors,” Chase said. “This affects the taxpayers. I’m pretty ugly about it. Unacceptable.”

“No matter what excuse anyone could offer as to why this should be dealt with in closed session out of the ears of the public is not acceptable,” he said.

Commissioner of finance Greg Yeomans said he had asked city solicitor John Nugent whether it was appropriate to discuss the document in closed, and Nugent said it was because of the potential north of Union development, as well as whether the report might concern investors. (No he wasn’t referring to us, the taxpayers, he meant the developers…)

“That’s the very reason we should be talking about it in public,” Chase said “so the public can guide you on what they feel is an acceptable tax rate.” Exactly, just think what will happen if these things are not brought out into the public - imagine a 3% increase to all of our taxes!

Then, in a shot at the police investigation into a recent leak to the Telegraph-Journal, Chase said the RCMP should be investigating why the document was dealt with in closed. Not such a bad idea!