Lorne Gunter, columnist for the Edmonton Sun and Calgary Sun, provides critical analysis of Edmonton's municipal politics, spending, and urban development for Rebel News' election coverage.

Gunter expresses a strong desire for a "clean sweep of council" in Edmonton, advocating for new leadership and a shift in priorities towards core city services, responsible spending, and effective urban planning that genuinely serves the residents. 

He believes people should be more engaged in municipal politics due to its direct impact on daily life, despite widespread apathy.

Gunter argues that Edmonton's city council misallocates funds. For example, $3 billion (equivalent to hiring 3,000 police officers or paramedics for a decade) is being spent on "green initiatives" and electric buses that reportedly don't work.

Meanwhile, the city's infill policy, allowing eight-unit apartments on 50-foot lots, has decreased property values by an average of $35,000 for nearby homes, despite an internal report advising against it. Gunter called the council "bobbleheads for the administration." The Blatchford eco-friendly development, a city-led project, has also failed, building only 100 of the projected 3,000 homes, suggesting private developers would be more effective.

Meanwhile, the city's communications team has grown by 449% in a decade (from 71 to 392 full-time positions), leading to accusations of manipulating public discussions, such as convincing residents they "love bike lanes" despite parking complaints.

Edmonton city council's initial 8.9% property tax increase, later cut to 6.6%, is still deemed "horrendous" by Gunter, despite union-backed group Working Families Edmonton advocating for higher taxes to maintain services.

The city neglects core services and public safety. Bike lanes are prioritized over snow removal on driving lanes. Policing budgets are strained by social service tasks, not crime prevention, leading to unenforced public safety issues downtown, like open drug use and public defecation. Providing needles in LRT stations exacerbates transit safety concerns.

Here are the key candidates:

• Tim Cartmel: Incumbent councilor, right-wing but voted with left 90% of the time.
• Andrew Nack: Considered least competent but has strong union/NDP backing.
• Tony Caterina: Long-time city councilor, ranking third.
• Rahim Jaffer: Former Conservative MP, running on tax cuts and crime. Charming, but lacks organization/budget.