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Compare Taproot Survey responses from up to four candidates side-by-side
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Mixed
Which would you prioritize in your role during the budget process?
Jaffer
Scrutinize the budget in detail.
Candidate comments:
“We need to stop a 6.4% tax increase, and while myself and the council colleagues will have suggestions, we need to see administration's options.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your view of the most important function of a councillor?
Jaffer
I don't have a position on this issue
Mixed
Which would you prioritize regarding property taxes?
Jaffer
Lower taxes by cutting spending.
Candidate comments:
“We need to stop a 6.4% tax increase, and while myself and the council colleagues will have suggestions, we need to see administration's options.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your view on 15-minute districts?
Jaffer
Let the market provide more mixed-use development and local services.
Candidate comments:
“15 minutes cities develop and evolve naturally. Don't force feed the residents this. Let it evolve. In Old Strathcona and Downtown 15 minutes city virtually already exists. It will happened gradually, don't force it.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your approach to development outside Anthony Henday Drive?
Jaffer
Expand as the market demands.
Candidate comments:
“There is a balancing act needed. We have great big neighbourhoods inside the Henday that need to be completed first: Blatchford and the Exhibition lands. While planning should get underway for additional neighbourhoods south of Ellerslie Road, we have a lot of land that needs to be developed in Blatchford and the Exhibition lands.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to how you would guide infill development?
Jaffer
Slow the pace with stronger regulations.
Candidate comments:
“I don't like your options above.
I have already called for administration to go back to the Infill reports and come back ready to repeal and replace the residential portion of Bylaw 20001. Sources inside admin tell me this is already happening.
We need infill. But it needs to match the character of the neighbourhood and each unit needs its own parking stall.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to how you would incorporate climate change into decision-making?
Jaffer
The climate is important, but must be balanced with other goals.
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to how you would approach parking in commercial areas?
Jaffer
Increase supply and/or reduce prices.
Candidate comments:
“Parking prices is what has hurt Downtown and other parts of the city. It is time to lower parking rates and it is time to ensure after 5PM evening and weekends and holidays, parking is free downtown. This will help revitalize our downtown and bring people back.”
Mixed
Which would you prioritize for downtown revitalization funds?
Jaffer
Grow the residential population.
Candidate comments:
“There are huge opportunities for commercial building owners to sell air rights and allow condos and rental apartments to be built downtown, which will attract more businesses, and then attract more visitors. But we also need to get out of the way and stop the red tape killing festivals and events downtown”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your position on public funding for the arts?
Jaffer
An economic driver, so prioritize projects with measurable economic impact.
Candidate comments:
“I have incorporated the arts into my business at the Rooster Kitchen and Bar. I ahve called for the establishment of endowments with the Edmonton Community Foundation to help finance Festivals like the Folk and Fringe Festivals.
I have become quite distraught at the run down condition of the Citadel Theatre. Anything at the Citadel is as good as London West End or New York Broadway.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your approach to economic development?
Jaffer
Remove barriers to business growth.
Candidate comments:
“I have committed to enabling permits in 30 days or they are automatically approved.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your approach to development in the river valley?
Jaffer
Increase accessibility and public amenities.
Candidate comments:
“What ever happened to those proposals to Touch the River? places for boats to tie up and be landed so folks can come ashore?”
Mixed
Which would you prioritize regarding aging recreation amenities?
Jaffer
Close lower-use sites and upgrade the remaining ones.
Mixed
Which action would you be most likely to advocate for on homelessness?
Jaffer
Build and operate more permanent supportive housing.
Candidate comments:
“I have pledged to work with the province to establish a recovery village for addicts, mentally ill, and homeless, to get them off the streets and into wrap around services on site.”
Mixed
Which action would you be most likely to advance to alleviate the housing crisis?
Jaffer
Lower costs and remove barriers for private and non-profit builders.
Candidate comments:
“We have not done enough to support cooperative housing in Edmonton where costs can be 15-30% lower than traditional rentals.
The Exhibition grounds and Blatchford Field need to have their housing accelerated, the timeliness are too long.
30% of the city's permits are behind schedule and I've committed to permit approvals in 30-days or the approval is automatic.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your view on political parties at the municipal level?
Jaffer
Members of council should be free from party affiliation.
Candidate comments:
“Its a council, we need to work together, that is why I'm running without a party.”
Mixed
If the provincial government intervenes in a municipal matter, which would you prioritize?
Jaffer
Negotiate with the province to ensure the best practical outcome.
Candidate comments:
“Edmonton is a creature of the province, a corporate body, to deliver local services. The Mayor and Council are the Board of Directors.”
Mixed
If the City of Edmonton faces public pressure to fund services under provincial jurisdiction, which would you prioritize?
Jaffer
Redirect public pressure to secure sufficient provincial funding.
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your view of the City of Edmonton's responsibilities regarding Indigenous relations?
Jaffer
Engage with Indigenous communities on specific issues.
Candidate comments:
“We need to engage with First Nations and Métis on social housing for both status and non-status persons who have moved off reserve to the City of Edmonton.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your guiding principle for council's relationship with the Edmonton Police Commission?
Jaffer
Primarily provide stable funding and work through commission processes.
Candidate comments:
“City Councillors on the Police Commission who break operational security need to be fired from the Commission.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your approach to Edmonton's role in the metropolitan region?
Jaffer
Focus on Edmonton's own needs and goals.
Candidate comments:
“I will not interfere in the local development decisions of my neighbours but work with them collaboratively on joint projects. We have to get this right. Whispers of amalgamations are circulating at the local level among our neighbours: so they can challenge Edmonton economically. Hence our need to lower taxes in Edmonton or we become the hole in the donut.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your view on how major projects have been delivered?
Jaffer
Performance is unsatisfactory because project management and execution are poor.
Candidate comments:
“The compounding of multiple projects in the same corridor on multiple roadways connecting downtown to the west end has been most frustrating especially the response given is to keep moving a few blocks north to the next major road, while it too is under construction. 500 people in integrated project delivery, and the council didn't spy this issue when a ghant chart review would have.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your approach to building new capital projects?
Jaffer
The candidate chose not to answer
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your position on roadway expansion?
Jaffer
Expansion is important to reduce traffic congestion and accommodate growth.
Candidate comments:
“Depending on the type of road determines who pays. There is a cost to growth and it is not road over transit, it is both are required.”
Mixed
Which of the following comes closest to your approach to strengthening council accountability?
Jaffer
Implement a lobbyist registry.
Candidate comments:
“I have no problem with a lobbyist registry, in fact, with it, and the existing mechanism to track voting records should be sufficient with the addition of one more thing:
Quarterly Open Forum Town Hall meetings with the Mayor and Councilors so residents can come and hold their city government accountable for the decisions made.”
Mixed
Which action would you be most likely to advocate for to improve community safety?
Jaffer
Increase enforcement in public spaces and on transit.
Candidate comments:
“I have committed to adding 500 additional police officers over four years. But I have also committed in my platform to work with the province to expand on their drug addition recovery community model by creating a recovery village to take in not only addicts but homeless, and mentally ill and provide wrap around services until they are well enough to transition to more permanent housing.”
Mixed
Which action would you be most likely to advocate for to improve street safety?
Jaffer
Increase enforcement of bylaws.
Mixed
Which action would you be most likely to advocate for on bike lanes?
Jaffer
Build less than is planned.
Candidate comments:
“Your survey lacks options. We need to freeze construction on Bike lanes. Errors have been made where Bike lanes block development. Those need to be corrected. Bike lanes, while yes, they need to be built, are not priority over pot hole repair and transit, police and fire, water and sewer.”
Mixed
Which would you prioritize for snow clearing?
Jaffer
Spend more to improve clearing of roads.
Candidate comments:
“85% of Edmontonians drive. 24 hours after snowfall, Edmonton's freeways and arterials need to be as good as if not better than the provincials highways. Waiting until the snow stops means its too late! Intersections compacted with snow turn to ice by then.”
Mixed
Which would you prioritize for high-capacity transit?
Jaffer
Continue expanding light rail transit (LRT).
Candidate comments:
“It is essential that LRT get to the International Airport ASAP. Cities with fewer air travelers (Kyiv - Boryspiel) and lower populations (Ottawa) have rail to their airports, why can't we? We are losing out on global conventions over this.”
Taproot Survey
Where do you stand on issues raised by voters in the 2025 municipal election?