Lacombe is one of 12 communities across Canada that could be chosen as the setting for a reality television series on spending taxpayers’ dollars.
Blaine Dushanek, a representative of Lacombe Taxpayers’ Association, said it’s a great idea.
“Municipalities, they don’t respect taxpayers anymore.
“They don’t respect that’s where the money comes. They just feel it’s their money and taxpayers should not take any interest,” Dushanek said.
The show, which does not yet have a name, was proposed by Force Four Entertainment who has been doing research to find the right town or city.
For the show, residents in one neighbourhood would manage municipal services for themselves, like snow removal, to see how much money could be saved.
The show is modeled on similar shows in Europe.
Dushanek said the production company contacted Dushanek in September and the taxpayers association held a meeting.
“The public we spoke to, everybody seemed quite interested in having this in Lacombe.”
Lacombe Mayor Steve Christie said he and council are against the production company using the city and so are some members of the community.
“As elected by the City of Lacombe, we have plans in place to ensure the services are supplied by the city,” Christie said.
He said Force Four Entertainment was unable to provide enough details on the show and there were concerns about how the city would be portrayed.
He didn’t know if the city can prevent them from filming, but the production company definitely wanted the support of council.
“It’s not something we’d be willing to partake in at this time,” Christie said.
Force Four Entertainment will narrow their choices down to three communities in the next several weeks.
Dushanek said he doesn’t know which other communities are in the running.
But Lacombe was considered because it has one of the most active taxpayers’ associations in Alberta, he said.
“They noticed as a taxpayers’ association we’re not happy with how our council in the past two years is wasting money.”
Participating in the show could be educational for both council and the public, he said.
“People sit around saying their taxes are too high or they don’t like the decision council has made. But they never go to a council meeting. Hopefully the public will get the idea they have to stay involved and to really make a community work well.”
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com