THUNDER BAY -- The proposed event centre took top billing at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium during a mayoral debate Wednesday.
Most answers led back in one way or another to the $114 million project as the six incumbent Keith Hobbs, former mayor and current at-large Coun. Ken Boshcoff, Shane Judge, Doug McKay, Henry Wojak and Colin Burridge squared off in front of a crowd of around 500.
When asked if taxpayers can afford it, Judge said despite estimates of operating costs putting 1.5 per cent more on the tax levy, he thinks it could be up to three. A former reporter, Judge said he's seen how hard city council struggles to bring down tax increases every budget season. Adding another fixed cost makes it that much more difficult to bring it down.
"The exercise of budget making becomes crazy,” he said.
Hobbs said the city has seen assessment growth over the past few years. Tax revenue from a proposed Costco store alone could cover the anticipated $1.2 million in operating costs. The city has done four years of planning and hired experts that have built centres around North America that have seen assessment growth once the centre moves in.
Judge later said that there's retail, wholesale and fairy tale when it comes to the event centre numbers.
"I’m afraid we’re getting the fairytale,” he said.
He also called the transparency behind the numbers appalling and the estimated capital costs borderline criminal.
"There's a sweetheart deal going on in my mind," he said.
Boshcoff said he wants to see more before the city makes up its mind on the project. So far it looks like the federal government would have to change its policy to kick in and the province already has debt issues.
"I'm not against it I just need real numbers," he said.
"You can bet I have questions and I don't want to just see a report. I want to see where the research comes from."
Hobbs later said the city has held a dozen open houses and this term of council, which Boshcoff is a part of, has seen all three phases of the project so far.
"Ken you must've been sleeping on Phase 3," Hobbs said. "I don't know what you're talking about."
When asked how the event centre would impact existing facilities like banquet halls or the auditorium, Hobbs said he has a letter support from auditorium general manager Bob Havlvorsen. Judge said the manager doesn't speak for the auditorium board. Some have donated to Judge's campaign asking him to fight against the event centre but don't want to speak out.
"They're scared silly because of the city," he said.
Burridge said mayors should represent the people.
"My opinion doesn't really matter. I'm supposed to be following what the people want," he said.
With some people paying nearly 5.4 per cent of their income on property tax and water rates, Wojak said the city can't afford the event centre.
"Some people just cannot afford the luxury of going to this new event centre,” he said.
For McKay, most of the city's issues could be solved by treating substance abuse as a social rather than criminal issue.
"All we have to do is be compassionate and not hammer on people for having bad habits,” he said.
But he doesn't expect that the projected attendance numbers will add up.
