My Plan for Taxpayer Protection & Affordability

The First Place I'll Look for Money is City Hall, Not Your Wallet.

Families, seniors, and businesses continue to face rising costs. Property taxes, housing costs, groceries, utilities, and everyday expenses have increased significantly over the past several years.

I believe government should operate the same way families do: live within its means, spend responsibly and focus on results.

The next four years must focus on affordability, fiscal discipline, and delivering better value for every tax dollar spent.

I have done this before. For decades, I have believed that government must live within its means, spend taxpayers' money responsibly and deliver value for every dollar collected. Throughout my public service, I have consistently advocated for low property taxes, responsible budgeting and efficient government. My long-standing record highlights keeping property taxes low and promoting accountable government as key priorities.

Over the past term of Council, I did not just talk about keeping taxes low. I helped deliver a 0% City property tax increase in 2026 while continuing to invest in roads, recreation, public safety and infrastructure. Now I want to take the next step by undertaking Vaughan's largest spending review in a generation, eliminating waste and ensuring no property tax increases exceed inflation.

What Has Been Achieved Over the Last Four Years

• Delivered a 0% increase to the City of Vaughan portion of property taxes in 2026, making Vaughan the only municipality in York Region and one of the only municipalities in the GTA to approve a zero per cent municipal tax increase while continuing to invest in services and infrastructure. vaughan.ca
• Maintained one of the strongest municipal financial positions in the GTA, balancing growth, infrastructure and service delivery with responsible financial management. vaughan.ca, york.ca
• Protected frontline services without imposing excessive tax burdens on residents and businesses. vaughan.ca, york.ca
• Continued a long-standing commitment to affordable taxes, accountable government and fiscal responsibility. marioferri.ca, vaughan.ca
• Protected taxpayers while investing in major transportation projects, including roads, transit infrastructure and congestion-reduction initiatives. vaughan.ca, york.ca
• Maintained strong fiscal management during a period of significant inflation and economic uncertainty. york.ca, york.ca
• Continued investing in community safety and York Regional Police, helping address auto theft, organized crime and public safety concerns. york.ca, newmarkettoday.ca
• Maintained investment in parks, recreation facilities, libraries and community centres while controlling costs. vaughan.ca
• Advanced major infrastructure investments through long-term capital planning, helping avoid more costly repairs and replacements in the future. vaughan.ca, york.ca
• Supported growth-related infrastructure investments to help ensure growth contributes toward the cost of growth. york.ca, york.ca

My 6-Point Taxpayer Protection Plan

The Next Four Years

1No Property Tax Increases Above Inflation

I will support a formal Taxpayer Protection Policy that limits annual property tax increases to no more than the rate of inflation, except in extraordinary circumstances approved by Council.

Every budget decision should begin with one simple question: Can Vaughan residents afford it?

Goal Protect homeowners, seniors, families and small businesses from excessive tax increases.

2Launch Vaughan's Largest Spending Review in a Generation

Before asking taxpayers to pay more, government should first prove it is spending wisely.

I will undertake a comprehensive Zero-Based Budget and Efficiency Review of every municipal department.

Unlike traditional budgeting, where departments simply add to last year's spending, a zero-based review requires every expense to be justified from the ground up.

The review will include:

• Line-by-line budget reviews;
• Independent operational audits;
• Department-by-department spending reviews;
• Management structure reviews;
• Contract and procurement audits;
• Program effectiveness evaluations;
• Identification of duplicate services and processes;
• Reviews of staffing models and administrative overhead; and,
• Identification of opportunities for AI, automation and technology-driven efficiencies.

Goal Find savings before asking taxpayers for more money.

3Create a Municipal Efficiency and Innovation Office

The private sector constantly improves productivity and efficiency. Government should do the same.

I will establish an annual efficiency program focused on:

• Artificial intelligence and automation;
• Digital service delivery;
• Faster approvals;
• Reduced paperwork;
• Streamlined administration;
• Modern customer service systems; and,
• Continuous improvement initiatives across City departments.

Goal Deliver better services at lower cost.

4Grow the Tax Base, Not the Tax Rate

The best way to reduce pressure on homeowners is to increase the number of businesses contributing to municipal revenues.

I will aggressively pursue:

• Employment land development;
• Office and commercial investment;
• Advanced manufacturing;
• Technology companies;
• Life sciences and innovation industries;
• New jobs and economic development opportunities; and,
• Strategic redevelopment opportunities that expand non-residential assessment.

Every new business helps pay for municipal services and reduces pressure on residential taxpayers.

Goal More jobs. More commercial assessment. Less pressure on homeowners.

5Unlock Value from Municipal Assets and Eliminate Waste

Before asking taxpayers to pay more, we should make better use of the assets and resources we already own.

I will undertake a comprehensive review of municipal assets, operations and spending to identify opportunities to generate revenue, eliminate waste and improve efficiency without increasing property taxes.

This includes:

• Reviewing opportunities to generate value from underutilized municipal lands and assets;
• Strategic redevelopment of appropriate City-owned properties;
• Public-private partnerships where they provide value for taxpayers;
• Shared municipal services with York Region and neighbouring municipalities;
• Joint procurement initiatives to leverage purchasing power and reduce costs;
• Reviewing all consulting, professional services and external contracts for duplication and savings;
• Consolidating corporate services and back-office functions where efficiencies can be achieved; and,
• Reinvesting identified savings into core municipal priorities.

Goal Generate new revenue, eliminate waste and deliver better value without increasing taxes.

6Reduce Long-Term Costs Through Smarter Infrastructure Management

Emergency repairs are always more expensive than planned maintenance.

I will support the use of predictive infrastructure management tools to identify issues before they become costly failures.

This includes:

• Roads and bridges;
• Water and wastewater infrastructure;
• Municipal buildings;
• Fleet assets;
• Traffic signals and transportation infrastructure; and,
• Recreation and community facilities.

I will also continue advocating for provincial and federal funding to ensure municipalities receive their fair share for infrastructure investments.

Goal Reduce long-term costs, protect taxpayers and preserve infrastructure for future generations.

My Commitment

Over the last four years, we demonstrated that it is possible to invest in roads, public safety, parks, recreation and infrastructure while protecting taxpayers, including delivering a 0% increase to the City portion of property taxes in 2026. vaughan.ca

Over the next four years, I will take the next step by controlling spending, embracing innovation, expanding the commercial tax base, eliminating waste and ensuring taxpayers receive better value for every dollar spent.

No Property Tax Increases Above Inflation.

Control Spending. Grow the Tax Base. Keep Vaughan Affordable.