Sheldon Rafuse wants to bring productive ideas to city council, in order to help spur economic growth. (submitted photo/Sheldon Rafuse)

By Josh Ryan

New voice

Council candidate looking to bring candor, encourage low taxes

Oct 9, 2020 | 6:13 PM

Heading into the 2020 Municipal Election in North Battleford, council candidate Sheldon Rafuse is hoping to bring good ideas and frankness to local government.

A power engineer, Rafuse said he’s thought about running for some time, following the advice and encouragement of friends. With the city in a unique position in its history, he decided add his perspective to the race.

“I just thought I’d be a good fit, would have good ideas and I’m not afraid to voice my opinion,” Rafuse said.

With more than decade working in the oil and gas industry, Rafuse said his experience on the job and dealing with people would be welcome to providing context for decisions at city hall, both for working with fellow council members and providing another way of looking at things.

“I’ve always been a part of a team, worked with all different kinds of people,” Rafuse said. “I still work in the industry, but 15 minutes away instead of hours away.”

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One of the biggest obstacles that Rafuse sees with cultivating economic growth in the city is its tax rates. He said that based on conversations he’s had with people who live in other cities and looking at friends who have moved, or thought of moving, current property taxes are too high and that’s going to continue to cause people to leave.

“They’re either moving to a different city or they’re moving their business out into the R.M.’s because it’s a lot cheaper to operate there,” Rafuse said.

Rafuse said he’d like to see a more broad option for businesses than the downtown incentives, providing benefits to other businesses, including some that have been in the area for many years.

‘Downtown is set up for specific businesses,” he said. “Why can’t there be incentives for the entire city?”

“There’s all kinds of businesses that would be attracted to setting up shop in North Battleford instead of Lloydminster, Saskatoon or Edmonton.”

Rafuse said he would also like to see changes in the way the city tries to solve homelessness, looking at the success of cities like Medicine Hat.

“I think North Battleford has to do a better job admitting that we have a problem and do more work to get funding to take care of these issues,” he said.

And in working on these issues, he believes there will be cascading effects on other issues, including crime.

“If people have a purpose, a home, a job, then they have hope,” Rafuse said. “Historically, when people don’t have jobs, crime rates rise.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports