The Abbotsford Rural Ratepayers committee will be hosting a public meeting at the Bradner Hall at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23.
Daren Alary, a spokesman for the committee, says that there will be several important issues that will be addressed.
Alary said, “We need to find a few suitable civic candidates that will support a hold on tax increases in the City of Abbotsford, even if it means curtailing projects that are on stream, like the rural green waste pick-up or others already in the system.”
Alary went on to say, “In our view, many of the councillors have been there too long and are well past their best-before-date, while others are major disappointments.
“Abbotsford City Council cannot continually jam 4-6% yearly property tax increases down our throats on top of other increased fees in these tough economic times, when getting pay increases for us citizens is rare.
"We need candidates that will insist that City staff bring in budgets with increases no higher than the rate of inflation."
A key goal of the Rural Ratepayers advocacy group is to find candidates that have fiscal restraints considered as their major objective if elected to council.
"In our view and for a decade at least, the Abbotsford City council has been spending beyond its mandate and it is high time that we return to our grassroots, living within our means and making sensible decisions," said Alary.
"Our committee also suggests that voter apathy is another concern for everyone. Perhaps a rigorous pre-election campaign can turn that around next November. All in all, the Bradner meeting should be an event not to be missed if you are at all concerned about property taxes and the direction our city is now taking."