The mayor of Montreal West is hoping the next mayor of Montreal will be receptive to the demands of the 15 mayors that make up the suburban cities and towns on the Island of Montreal.
Beny Masella wants the equation changed on how bills are sent to the suburbs from the agglomeration council of Montreal, which represents the elected officials on the island.
The current formula allows the agglomeration to bill the suburbs based on the property values of homeowners.
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Masella wants that changed so billing is based on public services rendered to the suburbs, such as mass transit.
“This is paramount to all of our small towns,” Masella told Global News.
Masella says the suburbs make up 13 per cent of the island’s population but they’re billed at a rate of 18 per cent.
“The 250,000 people that are in the demerged towns, we just pay a bill and we have no say on who is the mayor of Montreal. And that’s a little bit of frustrating,” he said.
Masella says he’s had conversations with the three front-running candidates for mayor of Montreal.
Masella is remaining optimistic the formula will change following the election for mayor of Montreal on Nov. 7.