Murray Buchanan, a 26-year resident of Airdrie, and former member of City council, has announced that he will be running for alderman in the upcoming election.
Buchanan, 53, is married and is the father of three grown children. He has a Masters Degree in Business, along with 30 years of business experience, and is currently employed in a senior management position with a Calgary-based energy company.
“I am very concerned about the financial direction our City is going in,” said Buchanan.“The current budget document recommends a combined 19.5 per cent tax increase over the next two years, which will certainly be difficult for some of our citizens, especially those on lower or fixed incomes to handle.”
Buchanan was an alderman from 1986 until 2004 including 10 years as deputy mayor from 1992 to 2002. He said he has a long-standing reputation of striving to ensure that taxpayers are getting value for their tax dollars.
“Airdrie is a terrific community and we have a very good City staff from the City manager right throughout the organization, but policy direction on various matters, especially City finances, rests with council,” he said.
Buchanan was chairman of the Finance Committee from 1992 to 2002.
During that time, the Finance Committee brought forward eight budgets with no tax increase and two with a two per cent hike each while council maintained or increased core services.
Buchanan recently won the 2010 Soul of Airdrie Award for volunteer contribution to the community. During his time in Airdrie, he has volunteered with a number of organizations and was the president of Airdrie Minor Hockey Association for five years.
“I have been truly very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with so many great citizens in the various volunteer organizations over the years,” said Buchanan.
His election platform includes: holding tax increases down to the local inflation rate; maintaining or increasing the level of core services; striving to significantly increase the commercial tax base; ensuring new developments have the least possible impact on existing area residents, supporting local school board efforts to secure additional schools; working co-operatively with community groups, user groups and private business to develop additional recreation and arts facilities as required without causing a significant tax increase; and assisting our not-for-profit local charitable organizations to find external funding to meet the growing demand for their services.
“If I am fortunate enough to be elected by the citizens of Airdrie to represent them for the next three years, I am very much looking forward to the challenges ahead,” said Buchanan.
