Sam Grosso

AMELIASBURGH WARD 4

After serving a four-year term on council, Sam Grosso is seeking re-election because of the important challenges facing the County in the near future.

“There is unfinished work to do: keeping taxes under control, improving roads and infrastructure, working constructively with the province on responsible growth and housing, and ensuring Ward 4—and every community across Prince Edward County—receives its fair share of municipal investment and services,” he said.

A resident of the County for 20 years (15 full time), Mr. Grosso insists that affordability guide every decision Council makes. “We need to spend responsibly, control tax increases and ensure every resident receives fair investment in roads, water systems and other infrastructure.”

The Carrying Place resident’s priorities in the next term are:

1) Getting better value from the approximately $100 million the County spends each year;

2) Reducing tax increases, with a goal of a zero per cent property tax increase;

3) Improving roads and other infrastructure;

4) Reviewing municipal buildings and properties and selling assets that are no longer needed

“Before asking taxpayers for more money, Council needs to look for efficiencies, eliminate unnecessary spending and focus on core services,” he said. “As a small-business owner, I understand that when costs rise, you cannot simply charge customers more. You have to manage the operation better and make difficult choices.”

Mr. Grosso, who spent most of his working life as an entrepreneur in the hospitality and livemusic business, said the biggest challenge over the next four years will be affordability, both for residents and for the municipality itself. “We have aging infrastructure and significant investment needs, but taxpayers are also facing financial pressure. Council cannot respond to every challenge by raising taxes or taking on more debt. We need to establish priorities, find efficiencies, pursue provincial and federal funding, ensure growth pays an appropriate share of growth-related costs and focus on the core services residents depend on. We also need realistic budgets, better project management and accountability for major infrastructure contracts.”

On the issue of the County’s waterworks, he supports renewing aging water and wastewater infrastructure, but warns that growth should pay a substantial share of the infrastructure costs. Regarding the proposed 20-kilometre water pipeline from Wellington to Picton, he said the project should not go ahead without reliable financial and engineering information. “If the project proceeds, it must have a properly scoped and realistic contract, strong cost controls and clear accountability for contractors,” Mr. Grosso said. “Legitimate unforeseen costs can occur, but taxpayers should not be treated as an open-ended source of additional revenue.”

The incumbent councillor is strongly in favour of responsible growth, especially if working with the province. “That does not mean approving every proposal without scrutiny, but it does mean reviewing applications fairly and efficiently and avoiding unnecessary conflict with the province.” He added that strong mayor powers should not become a routine way of getting around Council, “although they may have a role in extraordinary circumstances where there is a clear legal basis and an urgent need to protect the municipality’s interests.”