A candidate in the upcoming municipal election hopes to be re-elected to council to see through the completion of the Lethbridge Land Use By-Law.
Belinda Crowson says she is running for re-election because there are several projects that she is passionate about seeing through, one being the LUB. Crowson was the one who brought the project to council during the last operating budget discussions and got it approved; however, it will be the next council that will get to finalize and finish the project.
“It’s too vital. You want lower taxes, the Land Use By-law is the way that we actually densify and use this land better and bring property taxes down, have fewer roads, do all those things, Crowson says. “I think I will know when I feel done, and I hope that it will be the same time when the public feels done, because it will coordinate. But right now, I really would like to have the public, you know, re-elect me and let me finish those couple of big projects that are in the works right now.”
Crowson, who, outside of the council chambers, is a historian, says one of the benefits of her background is her ability to do research. She says these skills have helped her out as a politician.
“How has it affected us in the past? How have other communities done it? What are the various options? I take the time to do that, but the other beautiful thing about history is its multiple perspectives. There is no one history. It’s seen from this person’s perspective, this group’s perspective, and so are politics, or they should be.”
“I know the West Siders see that bridge very differently than others, because they need to be the ones who cross it multiple times during the day, more than anybody else. So they have a different perspective on that bridge. Taxpayers in general have a different perspective on that bridge, and we could go on and on.”
Crowson says she takes these perspectives and then tries to see if there is a “good solution” that will give most people the biggest benefit, while also making sure it is something the city can afford and maintain operational costs.
If re-elected, Crowson says one of the issues she would like to address is affordability and the affordability concerns in the region. She explains the average family in Lethbridge is struggling, and the new council voted in will need to do what they can to keep costs down and support them moving forward.
“Housing is a great part of that. We also know that we are still, we’re always going to be making sure we maintain and build our roads. The water system, we know, we have to deal with the water treatment plant and the wastewater treatment plant. Those are going to be projects that are going to take years to complete as well. So there are a lot of things that are in the mix of where we need to go.”
Croswon says she will continue to work to stay accessible and connected to community members with her Thursday office hours between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. If that time doesn’t work, Crowson says she will be happy to set something up outside of those hours.
“I try to be at as many community events as I possibly can, and it’s funny how many people say, I know you’re here for this event, but can we talk about this? Oh, absolutely, we can step to the side and have a conversation on any issue you want.”
“Then the other thing I have been doing throughout my entire eight years is I put up the agenda for every single meeting that we have, whether it’s one of the meetings I’m on a committee or not. The agenda I put up at least 24 hours in advance and explain what issues are going to be on that agenda and what I think the public is going to find most interesting.”
Crowson closes by saying if re-elected, she will continue to try to be the hardest-working councillor seen in Lethbridge and to be out at all the events and doing as much as she can, to keep open communication as a public servant.
