Affordability is about more than taxes.

It's housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, childcare, insurance, home repairs and everything else that determines whether there's anything left after the bills.

Municipal government can't control every household cost. But it can make responsible decisions about the things within its control and advocate effectively where another level of government holds the responsibility. That distinction is already part of April's platform.
 

Priorities

• Look for waste, duplication and opportunities to use existing resources better.
• Protect essential services and prioritize infrastructure by need, safety and urgency.
• Look beyond the number of housing units and ask what people can actually afford.
• Pay attention to the people in the middle who are working and housed but losing financial breathing room.
• Look for opportunities to intervene before financial and housing instability becomes a more expensive crisis.
   

The goal

Help people stay stable, participate in the economy and have a reasonable chance to get ahead.

A STRONG COMMUNITY IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE.

Affordability isn't only an issue for people who are struggling.Businesses need customers.

Employers need workers.

Workers need somewhere they can afford to live.

Property owners benefit from stable communities.

Investors benefit from good infrastructure and competent, predictable government.

And taxpayers deserve to know that public money is producing results.

People doing better is good economics.

Chatham-Kent deserves to be a place where people can build businesses, create jobs, invest and succeed.

Lasting prosperity requires enough people who can afford to participate in it.