--- title: "RITE Richmond on budget | Richmond 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/rite-richmond/platform/taxes-and-budget" last_updated: "2026-10-31T17:02:48.442Z" meta: description: "RITE Richmond's platform page promises to keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending. Gillanders told the Richmond News she does not believ..." "og:description": "RITE Richmond's platform page promises to keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending. Gillanders told the Richmond News she does not believ..." "og:title": "RITE Richmond on budget | Richmond 2026" "twitter:description": "RITE Richmond's platform page promises to keep taxes reasonable through strict oversight of spending. Gillanders told the Richmond News she does not believ..." "twitter:title": "RITE Richmond on budget | Richmond 2026" --- RITE Richmond · Richmond 2026 # 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. [Compare all parties on this ](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/issues/taxes-and-budget) [All four issues](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/rite-richmond/platform) [**3**Candidates](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/rite-richmond/candidates) [**3/4**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/rite-richmond/platform) [**33**Sources on file](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/rite-richmond/money) **9**Questions answered 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. [RITE Richmond](https://riterichmond.com/platform-en/) [RITE Richmond](https://riterichmond.com/supports-for-at-risk-youth-reduce-drug-use-copy/) - ### 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. [RITE Richmond](https://riterichmond.com/supports-for-at-risk-youth-reduce-drug-use-copy/) - ### 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. [Richmond News](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-votes-city-council-candidate-michael-wolfe-12850293) [RITE Richmond](https://riterichmond.com/supports-for-at-risk-youth-reduce-drug-use-copy/) - ### 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. [RITE Richmond](https://riterichmond.com/supports-for-at-risk-youth-reduce-drug-use-copy/) ### 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. RITE RichmondRITE Richmond
## 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. 1. [Register of Elector Organizations by Jurisdiction, as of October 30, 2026 ](https://elections.bc.ca/docs/fin/List-of-elector-organizations-by-jurisdiction.pdf)Elections BC · published October 30, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 2. [Elector organizations: registration and financial reporting ](https://elections.bc.ca/local-elections/elector-organizations/)Elections BC · checked October 30, 2026 3. [Financial Reports and Political Contributions System: local elections scanned reports search ](https://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/pcs/LESearch.aspx)Elections BC · checked October 30, 2026 4. [Declaration of Election by Voting, September 21, 2026 ](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Declaration_of_Election_by_Voting_-_September_21__202679778.pdf)City of Richmond · published September 21, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 5. [Declaration of Official Election Results, October 21, 2026 ](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/2026_declaration_of_official_result79945.pdf)City of Richmond · published October 21, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 6. [Council minutes, November 28, 2022 ](https://citycouncil.richmond.ca/agendas/archives/council/2022/112822_minutes.htm)City of Richmond · published November 28, 2022 · checked October 30, 2026 7. [Oval Performance and Forensic Audits ](https://www.richmond.ca/city-hall/news/2026/ovalaudits29jun2026.htm)City of Richmond · published June 29, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 8. [Finding Affordable Housing ](https://www.richmond.ca/services/affordable-housing/FindingAffordableHousing.htm)City of Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 9. [RITE Richmond: home page ](https://riterichmond.com/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 10. [RITE Richmond: RITE Platform English ](https://riterichmond.com/platform-en/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 11. [RITE Richmond: statement on the toxic drug problem ](https://riterichmond.com/rite-toxic-drug-en/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 12. [RITE Richmond: About ](https://riterichmond.com/about/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 13. [RITE Richmond: History ](https://riterichmond.com/about/history/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 14. [RITE Richmond: Ethics ](https://riterichmond.com/about/ethics/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 15. [RITE Richmond: Election Spending ](https://riterichmond.com/about/election-spending/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 16. [RITE Richmond: Constitution ](https://riterichmond.com/about/constitution/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 17. [RITE Richmond: Carol Day ](https://riterichmond.com/carol-day/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 18. [RITE Richmond: Laura Gillanders ](https://riterichmond.com/laura-gillanders/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 19. [RITE Richmond: Michael Wolfe ](https://riterichmond.com/michael-wolfe/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 20. [Ways to make rental and market housing more affordable, by Laura Gillanders ](https://riterichmond.com/richmond-votes-council-candidate-laura-gillanders-copy/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · published November 18, 2025 · checked October 30, 2026 21. [Richmond Votes: Council candidate Laura Gillanders, questionnaire answers posted on RITE's site ](https://riterichmond.com/supports-for-at-risk-youth-reduce-drug-use-copy/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · published October 1, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 22. [Our strength is in our diversity, by Carol Day ](https://riterichmond.com/our-strength-is-in-our-diversity/)SAYS SO ITSELFRITE Richmond · published October 7, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 23. [Richmond Votes: City council candidate Michael Wolfe ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-votes-city-council-candidate-michael-wolfe-12850293)Richmond News · published October 8, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 24. [Richmond Votes: Newly formed slate Advance Richmond elects three councillors ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/richmond-votes-advance-richmond-elects-three-councillors-12907463)Richmond News · published October 18, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 25. [Richmond Votes: Municipal election turnout rises by 15K in 2026 ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-bc-votes-municipal-election-turnout-rises-by-15k-in-2026-12911501)Richmond News · published October 19, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 26. [Richmond Olympic Oval city subsidy capped at $2.5 million ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/richmond-bc-olympic-oval-city-subsidy-capped-10952279)Richmond News · published July 16, 2025 · checked October 30, 2026 27. [Richmond looks for Oval board members after council rejects recommended directors ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/richmond-looks-for-oval-board-members-after-council-rejects-recommended-directors-7580215)Richmond News · published September 21, 2023 · checked October 30, 2026 28. [Steveston waterfront could have more homes ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/steveston-waterfront-could-have-more-homes-6148764)Richmond News · published November 23, 2022 · checked October 30, 2026 29. [RITE adds one more city councillor to roster ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2022-civic-election/rite-adds-one-more-city-councillor-to-roster-5962420)Richmond News · published October 16, 2022 · checked October 30, 2026 30. [RCA and RITE Richmond once again join forces ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2022-civic-election/rca-and-rite-richmond-once-again-join-forces-5872791)Richmond News · published September 26, 2022 · checked October 30, 2026 31. [Richmond Votes 2018: Election Results ](https://www.richmond-news.com/election-2018/richmond-votes-2018-election-results-1.23470081)Richmond News · published October 20, 2018 · checked October 30, 2026 32. [Community activist Carol Day and Olympian Loo win seats on Richmond council ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/community-activist-carol-day-and-olympian-loo-win-seats-on-richmond-council-2989160)Richmond News · published November 14, 2014 · checked October 30, 2026 33. [Richmond election results in minimal change ](https://www.richmondsentinel.ca/article-detail/27708/richmond-election-results-in-minimal-change)Richmond Sentinel · published October 15, 2022 · checked October 30, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/bc/richmond-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.