The province’s political world may be a bit muddy, but the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick says things are pretty clear for them.
Executive director Margot Cragg said they want to work with whichever party comes into power to push forward some of their priorities.
Cragg told our newsroom one of their biggest challenges is finding new municipal revenue sources besides property taxes.
“You can’t build tomorrow’s communities with less than yesterday’s dollars,” Cragg said, “and we’ve heard from quite a few member municipalities that they’re facing quite the budget crunch.”
Several municipal politicians become MLAs
Despite all of the uncertainty after the September 24 election, Cragg said one thing is certain — their excitement to see so many municipal politicians become MLAs.
“For example, Shediac mayor Jacques LeBlanc, Saint John councillor Gerry Lowe, Moncton councillor Rob McKee, and Sackville councillor Megan Mitton,” she said.
Cragg said these individuals have been in the trenches at the municipal level and understand the challenges faced by municipalities.
Since the election failed to produce a majority government, Cragg said MLAs will get a taste of what municipal politics is like by having to work out their differences to get things done.
