Montreal mayor Valerie Plante says her proudest achievement, so far, is ordering 300 new hybrid transit buses to deal with constant overcrowding.
She spoke with the Gazette on her first 100 days in office.
She adds her biggest regret is a substantial tax hike that contradicted her election promise to stay within inflation.
Taxes are increasing an average of 3.3 per cent, which includes a 1.1-per cent rise in the water tax, necessary, says Plante, to upgrade the city’s leaky water system.
In her words, "it was the right thing to do and I stand by it and it is a tax dedicated to water ".
She admits, looking back, she should have been clear during the campaign that her tax pledge only referred to part of the municipal tax bills — and
should have better explained the tax increase when it was announced.
Her biggest surprise, she says, Montrealers' high expectations for their mayor.