💵Fiscal Responsibility

I believe in running the town like a true corporation — where council acts like a board of directors, respecting the needs of the shareholders, who are the taxpayers and residents.

“Focus on needs and not wants to make sure that we keep our property taxes under control. Run the town like a true corporation where council acts like a board of directors, respecting the needs of the shareholders, which are the taxpayers and residents.”

A Full Operational Review

Taxpayers deserve a municipal government that operates efficiently and respects every tax dollar. I presented a comprehensive report proposing a thorough review of the development process, including the potential elimination of upper-tier planning to streamline approvals and make housing more affordable. I feel that we can do this in all departments at both the district and municipal level.

Eliminating Redundancies: I raised active discussion around downloading district roads and planning services directly to lower-tier municipalities, eliminating duplicate staff roles and administrative slowdowns.

Scrutiny & Reform of Muskoka Airport: I identified over $1.6M in taxpayer subsidies at the Muskoka Airport. Rather than simply accepting those losses, I co-led the pivot to create a Municipal Services Corporation with a skills-based board (alongside Councillor Guy Burry) to dramatically reduce subsidies and move toward break-even budgeting.

AI Governance: Introduced the opportunities AI provides to the district and town — implementing AI tools to deliver better, more efficient public services and streamline internal workflows.

Proven Track Record of Fiscal Discipline

• Rejected 48% District Council Pay Raise: I was the only member of the Finance & Corporate Services Committee, out of seven, to vote against the proposed 48% raise — and I pushed to have it pulled and voted on separately at full district council. When it was voted on at our full Council meeting, all four Huntsville Councillors voted no on the motion.
• Rejected 11.2% Huntsville Council Pay Raise: One of only three members of Council who voted against an 11.2% increase, I was steadfast in my belief that this increase was not warranted.
• Eliminating Unneeded Staffing: Put forward multiple motions to eliminate unneeded new positions and halt bureaucracy expansion.
• Reforming Budget Process: Changed the budget process to involve Council earlier and throughout the year, creating a more collaborative approach and helping deliver more fiscally responsible tax increases in the final two years of the term.