Overview

• Calgary’s Economist Intelligence Unit ranking plunged from fifth to 18th over the past year, the steepest drop among 173 cities assessed.
• Columnists blame Mayor Jyoti Gondek’s lack of oversight for rising service shortfalls and infrastructure failures.
• Steep tax hikes and multi-million-dollar cost overruns on projects like the transit Green Line have provoked taxpayer backlash.
• Municipal unions have endorsed Gondek’s re-election bid, capitalizing on her name recognition to shore up voter support.
• Despite facing four challengers, vote splitting could enable Gondek to win another term with less than 35 percent of the vote in October.