THUNDER BAY – Only one candidate in this year’s municipal election can say Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton once backed him up in net.
Fourteen years ago Viktor Saari was the No. 1 netminder with the Fort William North Stars, going 21-2-3 for a team that would go on to win its second of three straight Superior International Junior Hockey League championships.
Fast forward nearly a decade-and-a-half, and Saari is taking on a new challenge – politics.
The Thunder Bay-born carpenter is one of 26 candidates vying for five at-large berths on Oct. 22 and said while he loves his hometown, he’d also like to see a few things done differently at city hall.
“I just don’t feel basic needs are being addressed, such as roads, for instance,” Saari said. “The budget is only $7 million for (roads) this year and it says that we should be spending at least $13 million to just maintain our roads.
“So I don’t like that we’re going out and spending money on all kinds of things, like art and that, when our streets are full of potholes.”
Roads aren’t even Saari’s No. 1 concern.
While knocking on doors in the early days of the campaign, he said potential voters are fed up with the amount of money being collected by the municipality.
“I think property taxes have been the biggest complaint so far, that it’s continuing to rise by, at least over the last four years, two to four per cent. It’s not matching inflation or raises at all,” said Saari, who has vowed to not vote in favour of tax-levy hikes if he’s got a seat around the council table.
“People are finding it more and more burdensome to pay their property tax, especially when they don’t see an increase in services.”
Saari said he’s a needs-over-wants kind of candidate, though he’s not opposed to the city spending on big ticket items, such as an indoor soccer facility, once it gets its fiscal house in order.
He’s also in favour of helping businesses set up shop through incentives.
“We have to have a bigger base here of businesses. Our tax levy is carried by what, 63 per cent (from) residences. We have to bring more businesses to accommodate that.”
