Keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending
RITE Richmond's platform page promises to keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending. Gillanders told the Richmond News she does not believe taxes can be lowered, but increases can be kept to a minimum by finding efficiencies, and that one percent of taxes should keep going to the facilities capital budget. Wolfe said he would raise taxes to pay for more police officers and firefighters.
TAXES AND THE CITY BUDGET
RITE Richmond on budget
The platform page says RITE councillors established independent forensic audits and a new Audit Committee "to strengthen oversight and protect taxpayer dollars", and reformed governance at the Olympic Oval with a board focused on responsible spending. The City released a forensic audit and a performance audit of the Oval corporation on June 29, 2026; see the record section.
In the Richmond News questionnaire, Gillanders wrote that one percent of taxes goes to the facilities capital budget each year, which lets the City pay for projects from reserves instead of levies, and that cost of living increases for the workforce make low taxes a challenge. Wolfe answered yes both to raising taxes for more police and firefighters and to lower property taxes.
The Ethics page says RITE runs "lean and thrifty campaigns" and that opposing groups often spend more than ten times as much. That is the organization's own account.
4 PUBLISHED COMMITMENTS
What they say they will do
Keep tax increases to a minimum through efficiencies
The platform page promises to keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending. Gillanders told the Richmond News that taxes cannot be lowered but increases can be minimized by finding efficiencies and re-evaluating programs. No figure is given.
Keep the one percent of taxes that goes to the facilities capital budget
Gillanders told the Richmond News that one percent of taxes goes to the facilities capital budget each year, that this lets the City finance its own projects from reserves, and that it should stay steady.
Raise taxes if needed for more police officers and firefighters
Wolfe answered yes to the Richmond News question on increasing taxes to pay for more police officers and firefighters. Gillanders gave no answer to that question.
No increase in taxpayer money for community events for now
Gillanders told the Richmond News that more taxpayer money for events is not necessary right now, that some events may be re-evaluated, and that the City can support community groups that run their own events instead.
What is not published
- The platform gives no target for tax increases and no figure for savings.
- voche.me found no City record of a new Audit Committee. The platform's claim about it stays the organization's own.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about this
Does RITE Richmond promise a property tax freeze?
No. Its platform promises to keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending, and Gillanders told the Richmond News that taxes cannot be lowered but increases can be kept to a minimum.
Sources
A source marked SAYS SO ITSELF is the party's own material. It proves what the party claims, not that the claim is true.
- Register of Elector Organizations by Jurisdiction, as of October 30, 2026 Elections BC · published · checked
- Elector organizations: registration and financial reporting Elections BC · checked
- Financial Reports and Political Contributions System: local elections scanned reports search Elections BC · checked
- Declaration of Election by Voting, September 21, 2026 City of Richmond · published · checked
- Declaration of Official Election Results, October 21, 2026 City of Richmond · published · checked
- Council minutes, November 28, 2022 City of Richmond · published · checked
- Oval Performance and Forensic Audits City of Richmond · published · checked
- Finding Affordable Housing City of Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: home page SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: RITE Platform English SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: statement on the toxic drug problem SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: About SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: History SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: Ethics SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: Election Spending SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: Constitution SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: Carol Day SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: Laura Gillanders SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- RITE Richmond: Michael Wolfe SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked
- Ways to make rental and market housing more affordable, by Laura Gillanders SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Council candidate Laura Gillanders, questionnaire answers posted on RITE's site SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · published · checked
- Our strength is in our diversity, by Carol Day SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: City council candidate Michael Wolfe Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Newly formed slate Advance Richmond elects three councillors Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes: Municipal election turnout rises by 15K in 2026 Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Olympic Oval city subsidy capped at $2.5 million Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond looks for Oval board members after council rejects recommended directors Richmond News · published · checked
- Steveston waterfront could have more homes Richmond News · published · checked
- RITE adds one more city councillor to roster Richmond News · published · checked
- RCA and RITE Richmond once again join forces Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond Votes 2018: Election Results Richmond News · published · checked
- Community activist Carol Day and Olympian Loo win seats on Richmond council Richmond News · published · checked
- Richmond election results in minimal change Richmond Sentinel · published · checked