Taylor plans to run for second term on council

Leslie Taylor, who has served three previous terms on council, first as mayor and then as a councillor, announced recently she is running for a second term as a councillor.

Taylor served as Banff’s first mayor following incorporation in 1989, subsequently served two terms as mayor and then was elected as a councillor in 2007.

She said she is seeking re-election as a councillor as she still feels she can contribute at the council table.

“I like to be at the table when a decision is made and have a chance to make my case. I know that lots of times my case isn’t the one that wins out, but at least I feel I have made my case,” Taylor said Monday (Aug. 31).

“I still feel connected to the issues. I still feel that residents are anxious to have me represent them and want me to help them with their ideas and issues and I’m still enjoying and learning through this process.”

Taylor said being a councillor continues to suit her as she has time, a flexible schedule and, perhaps most importantly, the energy to fulfill a role that she described as the most effective and satisfying opportunity for elected representatives.

“You are actually able to make a decision and deliver in one term of council on programs and services that matter to people in their daily lives.”

If re-elected, Taylor said she plans to continue championing her primary areas of interest, which includes environmental leadership, financial fitness, quality of life for residents, customer service and opportunities for public input, response to visitor needs and long-term community resilience.

Long-term community resilience, she said, is a relatively new area of interest, but an important aspect that requires attention as solutions could take a decade or more to establish.

“This is very long-term, but I believe politicians should be thinking beyond a three-year term of office,” she said.

Some of these areas include rising energy costs and alternatives to the traditional energy sources, prohibitive travel costs and establishing a passenger rail service or food security.

While all of these require discussions at a community level, Taylor said she could at least help to get people talking.

“Everybody has to think about it and agree that we have got potential issues and agree on potential solutions,” she said.

Taylor said she plans – if re-elected – to continue being available and to share information through her blog and email list throughout the next term, as she has done for the previous term, to help Banff taxpayers remain involved.

“Banff is not just a small town, it is a symbol of what we can do right in the world. It is in the heart of Canada’s oldest and best loved national park, so those connections are very important to me. Representing Banff is a very special privilege,” Taylor said.

The municipal election will be held Oct. 18.

For more information on Taylor’s election platform, visit www.lataylor.com