Promise not to raise taxes: “amateurism,” according to Luc Ferrandez

Archival Photo, QMI AGENCY
Luc Ferrandez

Sarah Daoust-Braun

Wednesday, February 7, 2018 10:43

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Wednesday, February 7, 2018 10:43

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The advantage of Valérie Plante has made “a mistake” in promising not to increase taxes above inflation, according to the mayor of Plateau-Mont-Royal, Luc Ferrandez, who see it as a form of “amateurism”.

The elected Project Montreal showed Wednesday, a dissident against his party and its chief. “It is a mistake. He would never have had to promise this in the election campaign. It was an amateur”, he entrusted the micro de Paul Arcand on 98.5.

Projet Montréal had promised during the election campaign not to raise taxes above the rate of inflation, which was 2.1 % in the fall, according to the Conference Board of Canada. The new administration has decided to increase from 3.3% in the average of the taxes of Montreal in its budget for 2018.

Photo Courtesy Of Sarah Daoust-Braun

Valerie Plant

The mayor Valérie Plante has responded a few hours later by stating that Luc Ferrandez had poorly chosen his words. “We would have had to be more careful when we talked about taxes in the election campaign, she explained. The word amateurism that is far from defining our administration.”

The latter recalled that the elected officials were not aware of the full state of the finances of the City during the last campaign. His party would therefore have had to be more cautious in making this kind of promise. “Get in position, open the books and see a gap of 350 million dollars it takes to make a difficult choice.”

Popular dissatisfaction

Luc Ferrandez, one of the pillars of the party, acknowledged to be surprised, but not worried, of popular dissatisfaction with the location of the new mayor, which will be celebrating soon its 100 days at the helm of Montreal.

“I was surprised in the countryside to see the wave [of popularity], and I’m surprised to see the pullback, because I think that this pullback is unfair,” said the elect, who acknowledged the good shots of Valerie Plant, such as the launch of the tender for the 300 hybrid buses and the addition of staff for the brigade inspection of the accommodation.

Nearly 60 % of Montrealers say they are dissatisfied with the administration of Valerie Plant, according to an Ipsos poll conducted from February 2 to 6, with 502 people to The Press.

The mayors of the related cities have also decried the budget and have even sought the assistance of the minister of municipal Affairs, Martin Coiteux, to review the contribution they have to pay to Montreal, which increases by an average of 5.3 %.