Steve Payne, an incumbent city councillor, wants to re-analyze city priorities in the post-election budget and revisit plans to make land available for purchase in Kam Lake.
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Could you please introduce yourself for anyone who may not know who you are?
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been a city councillor for two terms and have been living in Yellowknife for 27 years. I moved here from Newfoundland. We came (to Yellowknife) for six months, and weSA国际影视传媒檝e been here ever since. The people that we met here, kept us here. The kindness that we were shown when we first moved here is the reason why I have the desire to serve the public. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 get anything personally from this job. In fact, itSA国际影视传媒檚 been, at times, pretty tough. You lose friends. You donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the privilege of keeping everybody happySA国际影视传媒 but then itSA国际影视传媒檚 been pretty rewarding as well.SA国际影视传媒
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What do you hope to change if youSA国际影视传媒檙e re-elected?
SA国际影视传媒淒uring this campaign, and the forums that weSA国际影视传媒檝e had so far, housing has been pretty much topping the list of the concerns that the public has. I know that we cancelled phase two and phase three of the Grace Lake South development. ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to revisit that. ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to maybe open that back up.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 like to have a renewed focus on acquiring land from the GNWT to start doing more developments. When it comes to apartments, I think in the next couple of years, our housing crisis will be helped with the amount of units coming online. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e probably looking at over 400 units that are going to be (made available.)SA国际影视传媒 Payne said. SA国际影视传媒淲e have a significant homeless population in Yellowknife, and ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to see about accessing different funding to be able to put more federal dollars into addressing the situation, not covering it up.SA国际影视传媒
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What are some of your must haves?
SA国际影视传媒淗ousing, free up land, and land for our business segment of our population. (Council) had talked about doing an expansion in Kam Lake, and we put a hold on it. ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to revisit that for sure.
SA国际影视传媒淢y must haves is a fair budget. I know that weSA国际影视传媒檙e looking at another increase right now, and I think that we need to, as a city, get back to basics, so to speak. We need, first and foremost, to look at the fundamental purpose of a city and what services we provide fundamentally. Then, if thereSA国际影视传媒檚 extra money, we go into different things. I think we need to start taking care of the core business of a city first.SA国际影视传媒
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Why was the development of land in Kam Lake put on hold?
I know that there was some public opposition to it. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 gone back to the drawing board to (identify) some different options. We have an angle right now, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 for big business. We need that land for the medium-sized business. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 what ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to see: ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to see land development, residential and commercial development. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 not a single family dwelling property for sale on the city website. None.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 different types of housing that we need as well. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not like everybody needs to have a 6,000-square-foot piece of property. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 probably a growing segment of our population that would love to have an 800-square-foot home on a 3,000-square-foot property. So maybe we can look at doing different developments.SA国际影视传媒
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Are there any other comments that you would like to add?
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 excited for this election. It looks like we got a lot of good people running. Right now, I could not tell you whoSA国际影视传媒檚 going to get voted in. I really donSA国际影视传媒檛 know. ISA国际影视传媒檓 hoping that I will, but I donSA国际影视传媒檛 even know that. ISA国际影视传媒檓 wishing everybody all the best in this upcoming election.SA国际影视传媒