John Wall, a former five-term city councillor, is hoping to make a return to City Council this fall.
He said he hopes to bring his common sense, fiscally-responsible approach to municipal politics that he successfully did in the past.
“I really think it is important for Council to apply common sense, priority setting and fiscal responsibility to every decision made and each expenditure approved” he said. “And quite honestly, I am having trouble seeing evidence of that in many decisions made recently.”
“Right now we are having some major problems with city taxes, and with the COVID. And we keep spending and we keep spending. Instead of complaining I though I would get in there and see if I could help out.”
Wall said that after talking to business people across the community, he has heard that people want a change.
“Over the past decade we have seen year after year tax increases, many in the double digits. Our small businesses whom we depend on for our local economy and our residents especially those on fixed incomes simply cannot afford this” he added. “If elected to Council I will press for a line by line comprehensive review of spending at City Hall.”
A specific area of focus Wall said he would bring to his work as a Councillor should he be elected was the issue of affordable housing.
“I would like to offer my experience as director and vice chair for Prairie Pioneer Independent Housing, and other local housing initiatives as well as a focus on pursuing and coordinating provincial and federal housing funding. Affordable housing is a key issue for me.”
Wall’s community service in Swift Current spans five decades and includes served on the boards of Victims Services and Crisis Line, as director on Riverview Village Estates, was a founding member on the committee to establish the women’s shelter, founding member to establish the Mennonite Heritage Village, served six years on the Swift Current School Board, represented the City on the Planning Committee for the new Swift Current Hospital, and operated a successful business in Swift Current for 30 years.
