A focused plan to make City Hall more efficient, accountable and responsive to Hamilton taxpayers.

Hamilton residents are paying more for City services. They have every right to expect City Hall to show where their money is going, what they are getting for it and who is accountable for the results.

As Mayor, my first priority will be to hire a new City Manager and work with them to deliver a responsible reset of City Hall.

1. LAUNCH A CITY HALL TURNAROUND REVIEW

We will review how City Hall is organized and run — including management, staffing, resources and where work may be duplicated or unnecessarily complicated.

The goal is simple: better service, better decisions and better value for taxpayers.

This is not about blaming frontline City employees. The people doing the work often know where the problems are and how they can be fixed. They should be part of making City Hall work better.

2. REVIEW FIRST. ADD LATER.

While the City Hall review is underway, we will maintain discipline on adding new positions.

Before City Hall adds more jobs, it should show why they are needed and what residents will get in return.

Essential public safety, legislated services and critical operations — including HSR — will be protected.

3. STRENGTHEN THE AUDITOR GENERAL

Finding a problem isn't enough. We need to know it was fixed.

We will strengthen how the City follows up on the work of the independent Auditor General, with a greater focus on value for money, efficiency and results.

Residents should be able to see what was found, what City Hall promised to do and whether the problem was actually fixed.

The Auditor General will remain independent.

4. PUT TAXPAYERS FIRST

We will work to reduce pressure on Hamilton taxpayers by finding sustainable savings and efficiencies across City Hall.

But I won't make promises about savings before we've done the work to prove they can actually be delivered.

No unrealistic promises. No gimmicks.

If we find savings, Hamilton residents should be able to see where they came from and what happened to the money.

5. INTRODUCE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING

City Hall shouldn't keep spending money simply because it spent that money last year.

We will introduce Zero-Based Budgeting so City services are regularly required to show what they deliver, what it costs and whether there is a better way.

Keep what works. Fix what doesn't.

Our Zero-Based Budgeting will protect essential services. This is about finding waste and getting better value — not cutting the services Hamilton relies on.

We won't save a dollar today just to cost taxpayers two tomorrow.

Accountability You Can See

This is about changing the way City Hall works — not making promises we can't keep.

Run it better.

Spend it better.

Prove it worked.

That's how we make City Hall work for you — and show respect for every tax dollar Hamilton residents send to City Hall.