Council debate thwarts aldermen's Grey Cup plans

A debate over hiking property taxes in Calgary will likely keep two aldermen from attending the Grey Cup game in Montreal this weekend.

A few Calgary aldermen usually attend the big game to shake hands and promote the city. This time it's a bigger deal, because not only are the Stampeders playing the Alouettes, but Calgary is hosting the Grey Cup next year, so the city was going to cover the costs of sending two aldermen to Montreal.

But council members started going through the proposed 2009-11 operating budget line by line Monday night in hopes of trimming some of the $7.9 billion in spending  proposed — and a subsequent double-digit property tax hike.

City council has set aside the rest of the week for special meetings on the budget.

"We need to finish the budget deliberations before I go anywhere," said rookie Ald. Joe Connelly, one of the two slated for the trip.

"We will see how it goes. Obviously the budget is more important. If I miss the Grey Cup, it's not a big concern to me. I've been to the Grey Cup many times."

Ald. Ric McIver said the budget takes precedence over a football game.

"It certainly does for me, and it sounds like my colleagues who were on the list to go have made the same decision and I support that decision," he said.

While the Stampeders flew to Montreal Tuesday, Calgary aldermen aren't the only ones having second thoughts about heading East.

Many fans say it is just too expensive to make the trip to Montreal.

Brenda Trockstad, who is with a company that set up a special charter to take Stamps fans to the game, blames slow sales on a slowing economy. "We haven't had as big of a response as we had last year," she said.