Megan Hutton

SOPHIASBURGH WARD 6

Lifelong County resident Megan Hutton says she is running for Council to give Sophiasburgh a new option at the table, someone who will hold the budget to account.

“I don’t simply mean cutting spending,” she says. “I mean looking at where our money is going and asking: Is it working? Are residents experiencing the benefit? Is there a better or more efficient way to do it? And are we making decisions today that are going to cost us much more tomorrow?”

An award-winning musician and playwright who is also an entrepreneur and educator, Ms. Hutton says looking for value in the budget means maintaining essential services. “But value can also mean investing in community organizations that help people find employment, improve literacy, access food and navigate financial challenges. Sometimes a relatively small investment today can prevent a much bigger cost down the road.”

On the issue of future growth in the County and subsequent infrastructure costs, she says the big question is: “Who carries the financial risk? Growth should pay its fair share of the infrastructure needed to support it. Development charges and developer pre-payment agreements can help accomplish that, but those plans are only as good as the assumptions they’re based on. What happens if development comes more slowly than expected? Existing residents—especially people already struggling with water and wastewater rates—shouldn’t be left holding the bag.”

Ms. Hutton admits that Council can’t solve the housing crisis by itself. “But that doesn’t mean we throw up our hands and say there’s nothing we can do. We need more housing choices. That means attainable rentals, attainable home ownership, different types and sizes of homes, and appropriate infill in places where the infrastructure and services already exist. … But to me, affordability is about much more than the price of a house. It’s the property-tax bill. It’s the water bill. It’s transportation. It’s groceries. Building more housing doesn’t accomplish enough if the people we’re building it for still can’t afford to live here.”

She has strong reservations about strong mayor powers and wants more information about a proposed water pipeline running from Wellington to Picton. “Before I support any major financial commitment, I’d want to see updated project costs, realistic developmentcharge projections, current growth assumptions, borrowing costs, available grants and a clear breakdown of what existing users are being asked to pay compared with what future growth will pay.”

And she feels that Council should do more than simply think about the next budget. “We need a clear picture of where we want Prince Edward County to be five, ten and twenty years from now, because the decisions Council makes today will still be showing up on people’s bills long after this term is over.”

As for why voters should choose her, she says: “I bring a different set of experiences to the Council table, but one thing connects almost everything I’ve done: bringing people together and turning ideas into something real. I’m not running because I think I already have every answer. I’m running because I’m prepared to find them.”