Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is vowing not to raise taxes beyond the inflation rate as her administration prepares to unveil its second budget this week.
Plante made the announcement on Monday as she celebrated her first year in office by greeting commuters at the Metro’s Bonaventure station.
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“Tax won’t be raised above the inflation rate,” she said.
“We did this big effort last year with the water tax and I stand behind this tax because it was absolutely necessary.”
In January, when Plante unveiled her first budget, it included an increase in the water tax for homeowners for the first time since 2013.
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Plante described the previous budget as a transition and said her administration’s second budget won’t pack any punches.
“I’ve always been clear on our vision so there’s not going to be any big surprises,” she said.
The plan, which will be presented on Thursday, will largely focus on economic development, housing and mobility, according to Plante.
“I feel like people know our plan and this is exactly what we are doing,” she said.
Plans for the future
The self-described mobility mayor also took time to address her first year in office, saying she still rides the Metro, though not as often as she once did.
Plante said that she plans to focus on social housing, economic development, mobility and the environment for the rest of her mandate.
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She added her administration has been transparent in its consultations with Montrealers.
“I’m not the type of mayor who will come up with ideas nobody knows about,” she said.