By Dan Jones, LJI
Northumberland 89.7 FM
Affordability, housing and infrastructure are major priorities for Angela Grogan, if elected mayor of Port Hope.
The realtor explained that the municipality has significant revenue gaps, and she will scrutinize the budget to find efficiencies.
“I see a lot of gaps in revenues, especially around user fees,” she said. “I think sometimes we tend to want to download that onto the target, which is the taxpayers.”
Grogan points to boat launch fees and other smaller expenses. “We’re feeling it in our pocketbooks when we pay for garbage tags, when we pay for parking. If you overpark, you get tickets,” Grogan explained.
Meanwhile, she said that visitors to Port Hope are treated differently when using municipal services. She said increasing user fees will add to municipal coffers, lowering the tax rate for locals, and she wants to examine several lower-end revenue streams for possible growth.
Grogan is proposing to study vacant buildings and land in Port Hope to identify possible housing options. She wants to work with developers to create a mix of housing stock that meets the municipality’s needs.
Grogan said she wants better public transportation that reaches residents in Ward 2, believing it will enhance rural connectivity and tourism opportunities for the entire municipality.
Grogan is unhappy with the communication from Town Hall officials, accusing it of being lacking. Residents, she claims, tell her that in some cases the municipality doesn’t respond, leaving them feeling unheard.
“We can’t solve every problem, but we can look into every problem, and we can get back to people with answers,” said Grogan.
The election is October 26.
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