Meet a candidate for mayor: Jeromy Farkas

Calgary will soon see a new face in the mayor's chair.

In advance of the Oct. 18 municipal election, CBC Calgary is profiling five leading candidates in the mayoral race; the other profiles can be found here.

Candidate Jeromy Farkas spoke with CBC's Sarah Rieger about his story, his vision for Calgary and why he feels he is the right person to lead this city into its next chapter. 

Here's what he had to say.

(Editor's note: His comments have been edited for length and clarity.)

On growing up in Calgary

My father and his family came to Canada [from Hungary] in 1956. They could have gone anywhere in the world, but they chose to come to Calgary, and it was an incredible choice. 

My father coming as a refugee, as an immigrant, inspires a lot of how I look at the world. 

[We were a] blue-collar family. [I] grew up helping my dad paint houses to put myself through school and university. My mother has been an administrative assistant working in technical fields.

I'm so fortunate to be one of the first in my family to finish university. We didn't have a lot of money growing up … many doors were closed. My dad, that spurred him on to work as hard as he could to make sure those doors would be made open to me.

(Ed.: Farkas grew up in Dover.)

I knew that I had made it when I got one of my first jobs at the Forest Lawn Dairy Queen. It was an incredible experience because of the diversity, because I would get to meet so many families, people who had come from all sorts of places around the world.

I got to spend evenings at various friends' houses for dinner, got to meet a lot of small business owners, people sponsoring, say, my baseball league.

It was always really fun … [but] it's kind of highlighted for me, once I got older, some of the inequities — not feeling like East Calgary was given as much attention as other parts of the city. 

Now, I live in Palliser in southwest Calgary. I do a lot of biking and hiking year-round. I like to compete in the Calgary Ironman. One of my favourite [paths] is the Glenmore Reservoir — I probably run or bike that loop at least 100 times a year. 

So, I guess running is figurative in politics but also literal for me. 

The path to politics

(Ed.: Farkas graduated from the University of Calgary with a political science degree.)

As a kid, my nose would be stuck in books, so one of my favourite places growing up was the Forest Lawn Library. I'd always be reading about people, places in the past or … that I never thought that I would be able to go. 

I always think about, "Well, why are things the way they are?" And I think political science kind of provides you [with] a little bit of an explanation about why things are the way they are. 

I often had to work full-time through university. I took longer to finish my degree than most people. One of my jobs was as a labourer at a shingle mill in Ogden. I still have the calluses on my hands.

(Ed.: As a student, Farkas got into data analysis with different faculties and worked as an administrator with the Israel Studies program. His interests led him to a job at the Manning Foundation.)

Preston Manning took an interest in some of the work that I was doing, and he was wondering how it could be applied to city government.

I launched this project called the City Council Tracker. It was a website where you could search city councillors, how they voted on certain issues, how much time was spent behind closed doors. 

I would say practically every member of council took an interest in it and I think it helped improve some of the record-keeping at the city.

When my family first came to Canada, my nagymama, my grandmother, she would take fresh cut flowers to her local city council office. I think she really felt that the people who worked at city hall, the police, the firefighters, the politicians, that these are the people that you could go to if you ever had a problem.

As a young, naive Canadian, I sort of took that for granted. She saw things a bit differently coming from an oppressive regime that had taken practically everything from her.

I never thought that I wanted to be a city councillor or a mayor when I grew up, but I knew that I wanted to have some kind of hands-on ability to be able to fix problems.

There's this competition called the City of Calgary Hackathon.

In 2015, I joined this contest and came up with an idea — we won first place. The concept was called Calgary alerts and it was to collect all of the city services in one app.

Somewhere in the basement of City Hall there's this photo of me holding this giant-sized cheque … with [Mayor Naheed Nenshi] shaking my hand.

• Everything you need to know about Calgary's municipal election 

Unfortunately, we couldn't proceed with our idea, due to lack of support from city hall establishment, concerns about the open data catalogue and other red tape. 

It was a frustrating experience.… I decided I was going to start knocking on doors to try to run for council so that nobody in my position would have to go through that. 

(Ed.: Farkas also became involved with his local constituency association for the former provincial Wildrose Party.) 

It wasn't a great fit with the Wildrose because I would describe myself as fiscally conservative but socially very progressive. I believe I'm the first openly LGBTQ city councillor.

(Ed.: In 2017, Farkas was elected as councillor for Ward 11, which includes the communities surrounding the Glenmore Reservoir in the city's southwest.)

On the issues: property taxes

So I'm advocating for a four-year property tax freeze. 

Over recent years, Calgarians have been taxed out of their homes and their businesses, and I think that the next mayor and council needs to make financial responsibility a priority. 

Economist Jack Mintz has reviewed my tax freeze proposal, as well as its underlying assumptions. And he finds it to be reasonable and realistic — so we can achieve that through a mix of reasonable projections for growth, for efficiencies as well as reserves. 

• Read Jeromy Farkas's platform

There's some areas of non-essential services that could be right-sized, and there could be areas — particularly around crime and safety and security — that should actually be increased. 

By adopting a bold plan like freezing taxes, that's going to again return Calgary to where we need to be, to be one of the destinations of choice for talent and investment. 

So one of my top priorities is to get our city budget under control, to spend money responsibly, but to also make sure that we're spending our money on the right things. 

On the issues: revitalizing downtown

There are two schools of thought. The first is that people think that government creates jobs, and the second school of thought is that government creates the environment for success; I'm very much in the latter camp. 

When I look at why our downtown is not succeeding, I think it comes down to a couple of reasons. 

[The] first is around safety. Calgary is now the only major North American city without a downtown police station, which closed at the same time as the supervised consumption services opened. 

Next is … securing downtown. So many people internationally have an image of Calgary, our downtown being underwater during 2013, and they don't think of our downtown as a place to invest. 

I believe strongly that we need to protect our downtown through further flood mitigation efforts.

Another piece is around affordability. 

We need to give businesses operating downtown the stability they need to be able to succeed and not see massive single-year shifts in their tax burden.

We [also] have some of the most expensive parking prices in our downtown than anywhere else in the world — we need to address that if we're going to market Calgary.

I think that we need to be much more welcoming for events and festivals … I'm pushing for other ways as well … particularly around collaborating with our post-secondary institutions. 

Our vision for the city needs to be the destination of choice for the world's smartest people to solve the world's toughest problems … we need to lean in on the things that Calgary's good at and we need to leave the things that we're not good at to our competitors. 

On the issues: the Green Line

I have still significant concerns about whether the Green Line can actually be built for the price tag that council has agreed to. 

But the Green Line has been approved by each order of government: by [Premier] Jason Kenney and [Prime Minister] Justin Trudeau and city council. 

So the train has left the station. More than $700 million has been spent. 

The question now becomes electing a mayor and council that will keep the project on track. And that's what I'm committed to do — is to work as hard as I can with the Green Line team to ensure that Calgarians are delivered what was promised at the original price tag. 

On the issues: the new arena

I don't think the deal that was agreed to was fair. 

I think Calgarians could have gotten a better deal … for example, Calgarians will receive only two per cent of the ticket revenue. Other cities have contributed less to the capital and received much more of the ticket revenue; Edmonton, as one example. 

There's a lack of transparency around the land dealings. Another piece is around securing the building in the event of another flood. 

So I really felt that Calgarians, if we're going to actually partner with the Flames, we need to partner completely on the upside and the downside. 

But that said, amendments have been agreed to by both sides. 

A handshake means something and a deal is a deal. So despite the fact that I didn't agree to the original terms, I think what's needed now is to proceed with the project.

On the issues: the environment

I think there's this false dichotomy between the economy versus the environment, and I think particularly younger people these days see them go hand-in-hand.

Calgary has so many green spaces and we need to be good stewards of what we have. In my own personal, professional background, as a director of the Weaselhead Preservation Society in my ward, I give back constantly to various environmental causes. 

Where there's alignment is particularly around energy efficiency, ensuring that Calgary continues to be a leader in terms of the infrastructure that we build and that we better tell the story of our local energy industry.

City council's path forward

It's been an incredible experience for me, coming in new to a lot of these problems city council is facing. Being able to ask questions and not so tied to the old ways of doing things.

What's impressed me the most is just how deeply caring my council colleagues have been. We don't always agree on every single issue but … municipal politics has been a great reminder that you leave your ideology at the door, that everybody is there because they want to make a positive impact. 

• Watch the mayoral candidates debate

(Ed.: Farkas has reportedly butted heads with members of council in the past. He was the lone vote against implementing a proof-of-vaccination bylaw)

I think the media narrative has been terrible on council's relationship. Not many people would know that the mayor and I co-sponsored a motion to restore the City of Calgary's summer student hiring program.

[But] I think some city council decisions have been the exact opposite of what we need right now [to get through the pandemic]. At the height of the first wave, council authorized the 7.5 per cent tax increase on the typical homeowner at the same time as they were struggling with lack of work.

I strongly support vaccination. I've been double vaccinated personally. 

My concern with the city getting involved with its own set of rules and regulations was that it would only serve to muddy the water further.

We need a strong and growing economy again.

Another big issue, I think, is around transparency, inclusion and better incorporating the ideas of Calgarians … we cannot afford to lock Calgarians out of the process.

[And] I think the pandemic has highlighted a lot of issues, particularly in the inner city, and I think that we need to elect a mayor and council that is frankly proud of our police officers, proud of our fire department. 

Personal growth

(Ed.: What's something about yourself that you know you have to work on?)

I think as [an elected official], you have to work on listening to the people. And that's something that I wanted to get right from the get-go.

Over the past four years, I've hosted upward of 50 public town hall meetings where my constituents can come and ask me questions, provide their comments and frankly educate and inform me as a politician.

I'm never the smartest person in the room. And frankly, we're in trouble if our politicians are the smartest people in the room. So there's so much out there that I don't know. And I think we need leadership that's willing to listen, to learn and to change course when better evidence or facts are brought to us. 

On working with a new group of councillors

I think it's a great opportunity that a majority of council will be changed out with fresh new faces, with new ideas and new approaches to these problems.

I think it's very clear that this election is about change versus more of the same. Do you like the current direction from council as far as their spending and their secrecy? Or do you want to try something new? 

WATCH | Jeromy Farkas on how his family informs his politics: 

Jeromy Farkas on how his family informs his politics

3 years ago

Duration 1:27

Calgary mayoral candidate Jeromy Farkas on how his grandmother inspired his politics.

Regardless of whether it's the team that I would have chosen if I'm mayor, I have to work together with them as a coach, as cheerleader, as quarterback, but not necessarily all three things at the same time.

I think that the best kind of mayor is not one who insists on always being the face of things. And if I'm elected mayor, I want to encourage that kind of debate and that diversity of viewpoints rather than take a bully approach.

I would want to see from these new council members independent and critical thinking. 

Lightning round

What's one of your favourite made-in-Calgary meals or foods? 

I love roasted tomatoes from Ten Foot Henry in the Beltline. Man, it's been an incredible, eyeopening food journey, if nothing else, running for mayor. 

Name a Calgary musician, artist, writer or filmmaker you're proud to share this city with.

(Ed.: Farkas gets up to share a book off of the shelf behind him.)

This is one of my favourite books ever. Calgary Cavalcade by [former Calgary mayor] Grant MacEwan; one of the greatest Calgarians.

It's incredible to learn of his journey and how his experience of Calgary is different from mine.

What's a personal achievement you're proud of?

When I was first elected I butted heads quite a bit with Mayor Nenshi. I'm proud that he and I have been able to work together … I'm very grateful to be a co-sponsor to his motion on community action on mental health and addiction. This is a nation-leading strategy … and it's a made-in-Calgary solution.

Ginger beef. Stampede mini donuts. A Caesar. You can only pick one: 

Mini donuts. I love Stampede.

You've got a week's vacation to spend in Canada, with an unlimited budget, but you can't stay here. Where are you headed?

West Coast Trail. I think we get to see mountains lots and prairie, but the ocean is something that is just really foreign to many Calgarians — me, being a born and raised Calgarian, the first time that I saw the Pacific Ocean, it was mind-blowing.