Returning $52M in taxes topped Calgary poll

A new poll on what city council should do with $52 million in tax money shows lowering taxes is the top option among Calgarians.

The ThinkHQ poll found 39 per cent of respondents support using the money to lower taxes for homeowners.

The second most popular answer — at 25 per cent — was reducing the city’s debt.

Creating a new fund for transit projects got the support of 17 per cent of respondents, while investing in the maintenance and renewal of older neighbourhoods got the support of 12 per cent.

In a separate question, another 53 per cent of respondents said they wanted to see the issue go to a plebiscite.

Unlikely it will all be returned, says alderman

The city recently wrapped up its own consultation with Calgarians on how to spend the $52 million in extra tax revenue. The province lowered the education portion of property taxes, but city council has a policy to take that tax room when it's vacated by the province.

On Wednesday, Ald. Andre Chabot said it may be possible some of that money can be used for a tax break, but not all of it.

"The likelihood of all of it being given back I think is still going to be very challenging because some members of council certainly already have their eyes set on specific, you know, projects that they would like to see completed," he said.

Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart, who earlier promoted the idea of using the money for transit, now says she'll vote next month to give Calgarians a tax break.

The polling company took the online opinion of 442 people between June 6 and June 10 and the results have a margin of error of 4.7 per cent, 19 times out of 20.