Kelowna’s new civic election party grows

KELOWNA – The ranks of the Taxpayers First Party have grown to five candidates ahead of the November civic election.

Billie Aaltonen and Michael Gorman have been added to the tax-busting party’s slate.

Aaltonen is a mortgage broker in the city, while Gorman is a blood specialist with Interior Health.

They join former councillors Carol Gran and Graeme James, and political newcomer Dale Olson.

The main planks of the party’s platform are a property tax freeze and more transparency at City Hall.

Gran has said their goal is to “return City Hall to the citizens of Kelowna by stopping waste and tax increases.”

Outgoing mayor Walter Gray has taken issue with the zero per cent tax policy saying it simply won’t work and takes Kelowna in the wrong direction.

Municipal Election Day is November 15.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infonews.ca or call 250-491-0331. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.