Name: Raji Buttar
Education: MBA
Occupation: Co-owner, Arisoko Luxury Travel Inc.
Residency (city/neighbourhood): Abbotsford
Marital status/children: Married + 9 month old daughter
Email: raji.buttar@gmail.com
Social media: www.facebook.com/buttarcampaign
What do you feel are the three key issues Abbotsford voters should be considering in this civic election?
1. Homelessness
2. Unemployment
3. Property Taxes
What's your plan to deal with homelessness in Abbotsford?
We need to show more understanding and compassion. Sometimes it is forgotten that homelessness is not just a housing issue. Homelessness is just one issue amongst many others including drug addiction and mental health. We need to take a deeper look and address the serious complexity of this issue. There are other countries and cities dealing with this same issue in a positive and effective way; why can’t we? Abbotsford should learn from these cities and countries so we can adopt some of their ideas.
How would you make city hall more accountable and transparent?
As elected officials, city councilors serve the people of Abbotsford. Transparency in this position is essential for building a trusting relationship between local government and its people. To make city hall more transparent, all financial and public information should be placed online in a user-friendly system. Our taxpayers should be able to access information that clearly shows how tax money is being spent by our public servants. This will also give citizens the ability to hold their elected officials accountable.
Are changes required in local municipal spending? If so, what are they and how would you address them?
Changes in spending are required in our municipal government. Economic development efforts in Abbotsford need to focus on sustainable long term growth. In turn, this will generate the financial resources Abbotsford needs in order to lower property taxes for residents and improve various existing infrastructures. The growth of the business sector will lead to job creation and subsequently, a decrease in unemployment and higher household incomes. Economic prosperity will allow Abbotsford residents to enjoy a better quality of life. We can learn from our mistakes in the past and move forward towards a better future.