A property tax increase of 6 to 7 per cent a year may not sound alarming at first glance. But when that increase is repeated year after year and compounded over time, the burden becomes massive. After a few years, families are not dealing with a small adjustment. They are dealing with a much higher cost of living, a much heavier tax bill, and a City Hall that keeps coming back for more.

That should concern every homeowner, senior, young family, and small business in Richmond Hill.

The City says this is about planning for the future. I agree that we must invest in core infrastructure, maintain public assets, and prepare for growth. But fiscal responsibility means making hard choices. It means setting priorities. And it means understanding that residents are not an endless source of revenue.

The City’s own Financial Master Plan makes this clear. It says the current capital forecast is not sustainable at its present scale and that reducing the size of the capital program would be necessary to lower tax increases and reduce the need for debt.

That is the real issue.

We cannot keep approving everything and then expect taxpayers to cover the cost.

Leadership means knowing the difference between what is necessary and what is simply desirable. Government cannot try to do everything at once. We have all seen what happens when organizations lose focus and overextend themselves. WeWork is a perfect example. It tried to do everything, everywhere, all at once, and the result was waste, instability, and failure.

Richmond Hill is not WeWork, but the lesson is the same. When you chase everything, you lose discipline. When you lose discipline, you lose control of your finances. And when that happens, residents are the ones who pay.

Richmond Hill must choose what matters most. We need to focus on essentials first. Roads. Public safety. Infrastructure repair. Reliable city services. Smart planning. These are the things that matter most to residents and these are the things City Hall must protect first.

The good news is that Richmond Hill is in a strong financial position today. That strength should be protected. It should not be used as an excuse to overextend, overpromise, and overtax.

We also need to be honest about who carries the burden. Richmond Hill relies heavily on homeowners for property tax revenue. When spending grows too fast, it is residents who end up paying the bill. That is why people feel like they are being treated as a cash cow every budget season.

I do not believe that is acceptable.

My approach is simple. Before asking families for more, City Hall must prove that every dollar is being spent wisely. Before adding new commitments, Council must show they are necessary. Before expanding the wish list, we must protect the basics.

Fiscal responsibility is not about saying no to progress. It is about saying yes to the right priorities. It is about discipline, restraint, and respect for taxpayers.

Richmond Hill deserves leadership that is focused, responsible, and accountable. We need a City Hall that knows what matters, spends carefully, and never forgets who pays the bills.

Richmond Hill residents do not expect perfection from City Hall. But they do expect common sense.

Before asking families, seniors, and small businesses to pay more in property taxes, the City should prove it is focused on the basics first. That means safe roads, reliable public services, public safety, and infrastructure kept in good repair.

This should not be controversial. It should be the standard.

The issue is not just whether the City spends money. The issue is whether the City is spending on the right things, in the right order, at the right time.

The current ten year capital forecast is beyond the City’s financial capacity at its present scale. The pressure comes from the size of the overall capital plan, which goes well beyond current and historical spending levels. That is exactly why Richmond Hill needs a basics first approach.

When families face rising costs, they make choices. They protect essentials first. They pay the mortgage, buy groceries, keep the lights on, and fix what cannot be ignored. City Hall should think the same way.

Richmond Hill has many responsibilities. The City delivers fire and emergency services, roads, snow clearing, waste management, infrastructure repair and replacement, planning, by law services, parks, recreation, and more. But when financial pressure grows, leadership means distinguishing between what is necessary right now and what can wait.

That means fixing what residents rely on every day before expanding the wish list.

It means protecting roads and transportation, public safety, infrastructure repair, and dependable local services before moving ahead with projects that may be desirable but are not urgent.

It means being honest that every dollar has a cost and every new commitment eventually lands on the shoulders of taxpayers.

Richmond Hill is in a strong fiscal position today, and that is good news. But a strong position is something to protect, not something to take for granted. Good finances are built with discipline, and discipline starts with priorities.

Responsible government requires sequencing, restraint, and focus. It is not about saying no to progress. It is about making sure progress happens in the right order and at a pace residents can afford.

My view is simple.

Before City Hall asks residents for more, it should show residents that the basics come first.

Before adding new commitments, it should prove that core services are protected.

Before expanding spending, it should demonstrate that every major project has been tested against affordability, necessity, and long term value.

Residents are not asking for everything at once. They are asking for a City that works, a budget that makes sense, and a Council that knows the difference between priority and excess.

That is the approach I believe Richmond Hill needs.

Richmond Hill is a great place to live. But too many residents say the same thing: we do not have enough places to gather, enjoy a walk, meet friends, or spend time as a community.

People want more than streets and buildings. They want destinations. They want welcoming places to eat, relax, stroll, and enjoy local life. They want the kind of atmosphere that makes people stay a little longer instead of simply driving through.

When residents point to places like Markham Main Street or Newmarket Main Street, they are not saying Richmond Hill should copy another city. They are saying Richmond Hill should create more great places of its own.

That is a fair expectation.

A strong city is not defined only by how much it builds. It is also defined by the kind of community it creates.

If Richmond Hill is going to grow, that growth should help create a more vibrant and enjoyable city. It should help create places where families can gather, where local restaurants and small businesses can succeed, where people can walk comfortably, and where neighborhoods feel connected instead of fragmented.

Residents do not just want more development.

They want better places.

That is an important difference.

Too often, development is measured by numbers alone. How many units. How many floors. How much density. But residents experience a city in a different way. They experience it through traffic, streetscapes, local businesses, public spaces, and whether there is anywhere nearby that actually feels worth visiting.

That is why good planning must be about more than approving buildings. It must be about building community.

We need to think more seriously about how Richmond Hill can support walkable destinations, street level activity, local restaurants, public gathering spaces, and attractive areas that bring people together.

That does not happen by accident.

It happens when Council has a vision.

It happens when planning decisions focus not only on what can be built, but on what kind of city we want to become.

It happens when development is expected to contribute to community life, not just add more pressure.

Richmond Hill should be a place where you can meet family for dinner, enjoy a coffee, take an evening walk, support a local business, and feel proud of the atmosphere around you.

That is not asking for too much.

That is asking for a city with heart.

My view is simple.

We should not settle for growth that only adds buildings.

We should push for growth that creates better places.

We should support local business, encourage welcoming public spaces, and plan for neighborhoods and destinations that bring people together.

Richmond Hill does not need to become another city.

It needs to become the best version of itself.

That means building a community that is not only functional, but vibrant. Not only growing, but welcoming. Not only busier, but better.

That is the kind of Richmond Hill I believe residents want. And that is the kind of Richmond Hill worth building.

Residents deserve to feel safe in their own neighborhood.

That should never be up for debate.

Richmond Hill is a caring community. We believe young people facing crisis, addiction, homelessness, or instability need help and support. Compassion matters. But compassion and public safety must go together. One should never come at the expense of the other.

In recent months, many residents have raised serious concerns about safety around the youth centre area. They have spoken about used needles, drug activity, trespassing, petty crime, loitering, and a growing sense that the surrounding neighborhood is being asked to accept conditions that should never become normal.

These concerns should not be dismissed.

They should not be minimized.

And they should not be brushed aside as the price of helping vulnerable people.

A caring city does not choose between compassion and safety.

It delivers both.

Residents have every right to expect clean parks, safe sidewalks, secure homes, and peace of mind in the communities where they live. Families should not have to worry about what their children might find on the ground. Seniors should not feel uneasy walking in their own neighborhood. Homeowners and nearby residents should not feel like their concerns are being ignored.

At the same time, young people in need deserve support that is structured, responsible, and managed in a way that protects both clients and the surrounding community.

This is why Richmond Hill needs answers.

What safety measures are currently in place around the facility and surrounding area?

What coordination exists between service providers, York Regional Police, City staff, and local residents?

What reporting process should residents use when they encounter used needles, trespassing, suspicious activity, or disorder?

What improvements can be made right now to address the impact on the neighborhood?

And how will the public know whether the situation is getting better?

These are reasonable questions.

They are not attacks.

They are the kinds of questions responsible leadership should be asking.

Too often, residents feel they are left with frustration but no information. They are told to be patient, told to be understanding, or told that someone else is responsible. But leadership means stepping in, demanding clarity, and making sure community concerns are taken seriously.

My position is simple.

Supporting vulnerable youth matters.

So does protecting neighborhood safety.

The people living near this area should not be made to feel invisible. Their concerns are real. Their quality of life matters. And their right to safety matters.

We need more transparency, better communication, and clear accountability from all parties involved.

We need practical action, not vague assurances.

That means stronger coordination, faster response to neighborhood concerns, clear cleanup protocols, public communication, and measurable steps to improve safety and confidence in the area.

A good community is one that shows compassion.

A strong community is one that shows compassion and responsibility at the same time.

Richmond Hill residents should not be forced to choose between caring for vulnerable people and feeling safe in their own neighborhood.

They deserve both.

And that is exactly what I believe City Hall should fight for.