Hale Mahon just graduated high school in 2020. However he’s been involved in political activism for years. 

He’s a board member for the Barrie - Springwater - Innisfil PC riding association, Community Editor of the Midhurst newsletter and board member of the Midhurst Community Recreation Committee. 

In this episode of In Conversation, Sam had a virtual conversation with Mahon on all things budget, local politics and political engagement. 

He describes himself as a fiscal conservative — his focus on the 2020 budget was the tax rate: how to balance service delivery and growth with maintaining a low tax increase. That’s a balance he says council struck well this year: pointing to councilor Sergio Morales’ multiple cost-cutting amendments as steps in the right direction. 

A 0.92 percent budget increase did just that: council voted in the lowest tax increase in 20 years, down from 3.65 per cent. 

“That’s always a concern — keeping taxes low so people can afford to pay their taxes,” Mahon said. “I think this year specifically that’s very important for the budget.”

He specifically mentioned councils decision on wastewater rates — to look into implementing an assistance program that would help low-income families defer bills. 

And Mahon says that budget doesn’t really depend on age — the ins and outs of Barrie’s budget, says Mahon, are more focused on service delivery which affects most people equally. 

“I think sometimes they could do a little bit better — in terms of having language everyone could understand. sometimes it’s a little bit technical as far as zoning and all that.”