Full Podcast: https://lovethenorth.ca/article/260916-bill-leduc-goes-deep-are Ward 11 Councillor Bill Leduc says the next term of council will not be an easy one. Costs are rising. Infrastructure needs are piling up. Major capital projects are underway. City reserves have been used to help soften tax increases, and Leduc says the next council could be facing much tougher budget decisions almost immediately. That is why he says having the right people elected matters. Municipal government is no longer just about potholes and garbage pickup. Councillors are being asked to make decisions involving hundreds of millions of dollars, long-term debt, infrastructure deficits, staffing, taxes and major projects that can affect residents for decades. Leduc says the 2026 budget was partly reduced by drawing from reserves, which means some of that financial pressure now moves forward into 2027. He warns the next council may have to find efficiencies while trying not to reduce services. In today’s world, everything is more expensive — construction, labour, materials, housing and basic household costs. That makes municipal decisions even more important. **When taxpayers are already stretched, there is less room for expensive mistakes, poor planning or decisions made without understanding the long-term consequences.** Leduc’s point is that residents should pay attention not only to what candidates promise, but whether they understand budgets, infrastructure, accountability and the financial realities they will inherit. Because once the election is over, the decisions begin. **In a rocky and increasingly expensive world, who sits around the council table matters.** #Sudbury #BillLeduc #Ward11 #SudburyElection #PropertyTaxes #CityBudget #TaxpayerDollars #Accountability #CityHall #GreaterSudbury #NorthernOntario #LoveTheNorth