It's time to look at the mayoral candidates' tax policies | Opinion

Mayoral candidates, left to right: Neil Saravanamuttoo, Mark Sutcliffe, Jeff Leiper and Alex Lawson.  Photo by Jean Levac, Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

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The most fundamental task for any Ottawa mayoral candidate is to make a credible property tax promise. It shows that they have costed their platform and put a figure on what it will take to deliver it.

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Without such a promise, candidates are asking voters to sign a blank cheque. That’s exceptionally unappealing.

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Given how important a tax figure is, it’s disappointing that only one major candidate has so far met that basic expectation.

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Mark Sutcliffe has promised to keep tax increases to no more than 2.5 per cent for the first two years of the next term. It’s the same promise he made in 2022. Back then, it seemed somewhat optimistic given that Sutcliffe was new to politics and his tax plan relied on finding $250 million in efficiencies.

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Sutcliffe’s plan has added credibility now because he says he kept his promise in his first term.

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Sutcliffe’s tax promise creates a bit of a dilemma for his opponents. It would be challenging to credibly propose a lower number, but politically unappealing to offer a higher one.

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In response, two of the major candidates have been vague on taxes and the other has not yet released a plan.

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Veteran councillor and mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper has not made a tax promise, but Leiper did say, “I can assure residents that I’m not looking at tax increases of seven or eight or nine per cent. But it is clear that we may need some very reasonable and affordable and predictable tax increases in order to begin catching up on the city’s needs.”

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So his magic number is not seven, eight or nine. Presumably that leaves six on the table. That sounds outlandish by Ottawa standards, but Toronto’s mayor, Olivia Chow, increased taxes by 9.5 per cent in 2024 and 6.9 per cent in 2025.

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Given that Leiper is a longtime member of council’s left wing, voters should be a little wary.

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Having cited the need for “reasonable and affordable” tax increases, Leiper needs to take the next step and say what that would be. Perhaps he will get to it later in the campaign.

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Leiper does deserve credit for supporting a one per cent levy to tackle the city’s $3.8 billion infrastructure backlog. Council this year took tiny steps to reduce that backlog but balked at a specific infrastructure tax.

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Candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo, an economist, has also refused to set a tax increase limit. Reacting to Sutcliffe’s tax plan, Saravanamuttoo said, “Anyone that actually comes forward and says, ‘This is what the tax increase will be,’ you shouldn’t believe them.”

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OK, unless the guy making the promise has run the city’s finances for the last four years and delivered on his tax promise.

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The fourth major candidate, businessman Alex Lawson, has not yet released a tax plan. He might want to do it soon.

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Sutcliffe’s tax proposal is credible and specific, but it’s certainly not unassailable. Critics might ask why Ottawa taxes went up 3.75 per cent this year and 3.9 per cent last year, but now only 2.5 per cent is needed. Sutcliffe has made no promise for years three and four of the next term.