Blaine Hyggen Touts Experience While Seeking 2nd Term As Lethbridge’s Mayor - Beritaja
Four years ago, Blaine Hyggen made the measurement from Lethbridge metropolis assembly to the mayor’s office.
Now, up of the Oct. 20 Alberta municipal election, Hyggen is hoping to triumph his 2nd word arsenic the apical leader successful the city.
“I’ve already built these relationships pinch different levels of government,” said Hyggen.
“I could proceed from Day 1 — I don’t person to return a mates years to build these relationships. We request to proceed moving forward, proceed the awesome activity that’s being done.”
Hyggen said the existent council, about of whom are besides seeking re-election, were instrumental successful building Lethbridge up complete the past 4 years.
However, erstwhile asked what he felt his individual biggest accomplishments person been during his tenure, he pointed to 3 things.
“I deliberation 1 of the biggest things is conscionable the recruitment levels pinch doctors. Also, h2o and wastewater infrastructure. In bid to pull much businesses, what we request to do is person the support for them truthful we do person h2o and wastewater for erstwhile they bring business successful the community. The other, about apt 1 of the apical ones is nationalist safety.”
Hyggen says the Crime Severity Index (CSI) was dangerously precocious earlier he took complete arsenic mayor, topping each cities successful the country, but it’s a different communicative now.
“Just present successful May, we recovered retired we’re the 3rd largest driblet successful Canada for crime severity.”
He says that important simplification successful crime is acknowledgment to Lethbridge Police Service officers, boosted by much funding.
“Restoring backing to the constabulary work is thing that was 1 of my first resolutions I brought guardant erstwhile I became mayor, to make judge that they had capable backing to do their jobs — thing that was lacking earlier and reduced successful erstwhile council.”
On the flip side, erstwhile asked what the biggest situation facing the metropolis presently is, Hyggen pointed to the deficiency of proscription options betwixt the city’s westside and the remainder of the community.
“I want citizens to understand, this is thing that I ran connected past time, to get a 3rd span — but not astatine the costs of citizens done taxation, the afloat cost.”
He says location has been a important magnitude of activity done connected this issue.
“I’ve had 2 resolutions travel forward, it was 1 of my first resolutions retired of the gate, is to inquire the state for support.”
But that thief from the Alberta authorities didn’t come.
“However, I reemphasized it again successful 2023. So down the scenes, each of this activity that’s being done to get backing for a 3rd stream crossing is highly important. I conscionable can’t burden, and I cognize I opportunity ‘I’, we arsenic council, that determination is thing we can’t put connected the backs of the taxpayers.”
According to Hyggen, the 3rd span is scheduled to beryllium started betwixt 2030 and 2040.
If re-elected, different communal interest Hyggen hopes to further reside is affordability.
The incumbent says he is looking to trim costs wherever possible, while really scrutinizing the budget.
“If you can’t summation revenue, you request to trim down costs. I want to activity on, and we person been moving on, different business projects — bringing those businesses into the organization truthful they load immoderate of that taxation. So, if it’s larger manufacture and businesses, pull those businesses.”
He says that fiscal work was connected show erstwhile assembly dealt pinch the Lethbridge and District Exhibition issues betwixt 2024 and 2025.
“We decided not to raise spot taxes, to find dollars done reserves truthful we didn’t person to load taxpayers pinch that cost.”
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Lethbridge & District Exhibition officially splits into 2 groups
He admits much could person been done anterior to the business ending up really it did, but says assembly was simply not fixed each the correct information.
“Since the changes complete the past twelvemonth and what’s been done arsenic of late, we’ve seen a $1.4 cardinal further gross that has travel successful to the Lethbridge and District Exhibition. It’s not capable to maine and we request to support looking for those efficiencies… It’s a beautiful building. It does immoderate awesome activity and there’s a batch of changes going connected there. We conscionable dream that we could clasp that moving guardant and do the checks and balances and reappraisal that connected a regular basis.”
Heading into the predetermination and beforehand voting, Hyggen’s connection has been clear.
“A mobility you could inquire yourself — are you amended disconnected coming than you were 4 years ago? To me, and what I’ve heard from most, is yes.”
BERITAJA is featuring each 4 mayoral candidates earlier predetermination time connected Oct. 20.
To spot much connected campaigner Ryan Mennie, visit this post. Interviews pinch candidates Michael Petrakis and Quentin Carlson will travel soon.
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"Blaine Hyggen Touts Experience While Seeking 2nd Term As Lethbridge’s Mayor - Beritaja"
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