Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas has issued a stark warning to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, accusing her government of milking Calgary taxpayers and vowing to fight back. In a fiery interview, Farkas declared, "They're much more afraid of me than any other mayor they've had to deal with," drawing a sharp contrast with his predecessors.
Farkas Takes a Hard Line
Farkas emphasized his determination to stand up for Calgary, saying, "I'm not Jyoti Gondek. I'm not Naheed Nenshi. When I swing I actually hit." He pointed to former mayor Dave Bronconnier as a model, noting Bronconnier successfully fought provincial and federal governments to secure major funding for the city.
The mayor's tough talk comes amid escalating tensions with the provincial government. Farkas cited a 21 per cent increase in the provincial portion of Calgary property taxes, a move he described as hypocritical given Smith's past criticism of Ottawa taking more from Alberta than it returns. "You can't just milk Calgary taxpayers," Farkas said.
Photo Radar Dispute
Another flashpoint is photo radar. Farkas criticized the Smith government for cutting back on photo radar use while simultaneously taking a larger share of the revenue still collected. He singled out Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen, saying, "I want to work with Minister Dreeshen but I'm not going let him get away with saying I'm some spend-happy woke liberal from Woke Town."
Farkas also took aim at the province's proposed referendum on secession, calling it a distraction. He warned Smith not to push Calgary around, vowing to hold her to her commitments. "For me, all options are on the table when it comes to getting results," he said.
A Willing Partner, a Fierce Opponent
Despite his combative stance, Farkas said he is not interested in picking fights for their own sake. He promised to credit the Smith government when it does right by Calgary and said the same applies to the Liberal government in Ottawa. "I don't want to be the scrapper. I want to be the ribbon cutter," he explained. "My job is to stand up for Calgary. I'll work with anyone but I sure as hell will challenge anyone who stands in Calgary's way."
Farkas added that the province knows he can rally city council behind him. "When I take a stand, they will back me up in a vote," he said.
