Town or City? The Pros and Cons

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Taber Times

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On Sept. 11, the Times highlighted a question of identity facing town residents and the council: What are we, a Town or a City?

 The Town released public documents answering FAQs and outlining the foreseeable pros and cons of the move from town to city status. Those documents showed a commitment to transparency and forethought on the part of the council and administration. In an interview, Mayor Andrew Prokop stopped short of giving a wholehearted endorsement of the plan, but has shown himself to be the town’s biggest proponent of growth and putting Taber ‘on the map’, so to speak.

 The PROS are actually broader in scope than might be expected and upon review show a real upside to change. The potential advantages are as follows, and the Town was cautious to preface some of the upsides with qualifying language in the form of the word ‘may’:

Economic Growth

 Town officials believe that city status may draw new businesses and investors. New businesses and jobs should follow and as a result, the tax burden on property owners would decrease. Investors and companies often choose cities over towns and city status may attract more of those. In addition, cities often receive greater recognition in media, on maps, and in government rankings.The Highway 3 twinning is expected to increase traffic along the agrifood corridor and Taber has an opportunity to capitalize on the steady flow of traffic moving back and forth through the region. A city can also attract more tourism than a town.

Infrastructure Development

 “The change may lead to increased funding for local infrastructure projects like roads and public utilities. City status could attract more developers, potentially creating a wider range of housing options (including affordable and rental units) and stimulating real estate growth,” according to the Town.

Potential for Public Services Improvement

 As a city, Taber could advocate for better healthcare and education services with the Province, which has jurisdiction over those sectors. Generally, cities have a ‘louder voice’ at the provincial level.  Additionally, Taber could offer more programs and activities for kids and youth, making it a more attractive home for families and young professionals.

Stronger Regional Influence

 The Town’s list of pros says, “As a city, Taber could have more influence in regional planning and development, allowing for stronger collaborations with neighboring cities.”

No Major Budgetary Impact

 The change in status would have little effect on the town’s budget, and most importantly, on taxpayers. “Taxes would not be raised just because we might become a city. In fact, our goal is to reduce the tax burden on residents by making Taber more attractive to businesses. By increasing our business tax base, we can reduce our reliance on residential taxes, ensuring a more balanced and sustainable financial approach for the community. We are also not considering rebranding.” Some signs would need to be replaced, but the town logo and supplies or stationary labelled ‘Town’ could be used up rather than discarded.

Pride for the New Status

 “Achieving city status is a monumental milestone for any community- it shows a history of hard work, community pride, and confidence in the growth of the community,” the Town document says. Taber would become Alberta’s 20th city in the town’s 120th year.

The CONS are worth considering as well. The Town identified those as follows:

Perceived Loss of Small-Town Feel or Rural Identity

 Some residents may be concerned that becoming a city could disrupt the close-knit, small-town feel in Taber. The Town acknowledges it by saying, “We understand that an adjustment to a new identity could be difficult. We’re rightfully proud of our small town and everything it represents! That being said, we would reason that our ‘small town feel’ is a direct result of the kindness and caring exhibited by Taberites–and all the little things that show our hospitality and hearts. The small town friendliness is about being involved in your community, and we don’t believe that the hearts of Taberites will change if we call ourselves a city versus a town.”