MARYANN Freeman may be new to city politics but she has plenty of public policy experience.
She spent eight years involved with the Coast Mountains School District parent advisory council structure and is the president of the federal Conservative party’s Skeena - Bulkley Valley riding association.
She believes in the responsible use of city money.
“When hard economic times come, the frivolous stuff goes,” she said. “And Terrace has seen some rainy days.”
Despite an improving economic, she says prudent spending will help when the boom ends. Freeman used the Terrace Co-op building as an example of where money could have been spent more wisely.
It should have been sold prior to tearing it down, even at a loss, because tearing it down cost the city more money out of pocket which is yet to be recouped, she says. Instead, the city could have auctioned it off and started collecting property tax.
Freeman also noted that if Terrace wants to attract industry here, property taxes will need to be adjusted.
“Property tax is too high,” she said. “Prices are reasonable... but property taxes are part of overhead.
“If other places are doing it for less, we’ll lose business and existing business,” she said.
Freeman does support downtown revitalization by giving business there tax breaks on building and property upgrades.
An attractive downtown means people will want to go there and spend money, which is ultimately good for business and the area, she said.