Lowering Taxes

Property taxes & fiscal responsibility: Cap Pickering’s portion of the porperty tax levy, end the practice of taxpayers paying for developer infrastructure, order a full independent financial audit of City spending in the first 100 days

Advocates for controlling property taxes by eliminating discretionary spending—such as art installations—and focusing only on projects that benefit all residents. Citing past successes in achieving 0% tax increases and pointing to over-budget projects like the Walnut Lane extension, she argues city spending must be strictly prioritized.

argues for lower taxes and reallocating city funds from non-essential projects—specifically criticizing $5.3 million budgeted to retrofit the city hall clock tower—toward improving practical services like roads.

0% property tax increase: Mayoral candidate Lisa Robinson proposes a 0% property tax increase for Pickering’s city tax portion, promising to examine spending before raising taxes without cutting essential services. Her plan focuses on hiring independent auditors, reducing consultant reliance, building in-house capacity, and prioritizing city needs over wants.

Proposes shifting the tax burden away from homeowners by attracting more businesses to Pickering, which currently relies on residents for 80% of its tax revenue. He highlighted that Pickering already has the lowest tax rate in Durham Region and pointed to upcoming major employer announcements along Highway 407 as key to balancing the tax ratio.