Michael Komar says Thunder Bay can do a lot better.
Komar, 60, lists job creation at the top of his election checklist, promising to work hard to make the city a welcoming place for new businesses and those that want to expand if he wins the McIntyre Ward seat on Oct. 27.
A second-time candidate, Komar first ran four years ago, when he finished fifth in a five-horse race.
Komar, who owns both Dragon Hills Golf Course and Dragon's Den bar, said his platform includes providing incentives to new businesses seeking to locate in Thunder Bay, while also encouraging existing businesses to grow.
He also wants to look out for the little guy.
“Basically you can live in Toronto and live in a million-dollar house and you pay $2,500 for property tax. You have a house here and it’s $400,000 or $500,000, you’re paying almost $6,000 or $7,000 for property tax,” Komar said.
“We’ve got to lower property taxes and stay within our budget.”
That’s only going to happen with more people working. Thunder Bay has a bad reputation when it comes to welcoming business, he added, calling for more transparency at city hall.
“I know there are privacy issues there, but I think when people are trying to get things going here (it has to happen),” he said.
It’s an endless stream of questions and challenges to start a business in town, and that can leave potential owners frustrated and seeking elsewhere to set up shop.”
Komar would also like the city to take proactive stance and help bringing back snowmobile trails in a big way to Thunder Bay, a notion that might sit well with the largely rural constituents who call McIntyre Ward home.
When it comes to an event centre, Komar said he thinks the city has other priorities that must first be addressed.
“I’m not saying I’m for the event centre or against it. Basically, only if we can afford it,” he said, mentioning he would like to see a new rink built within the ward.
