"If you've ever wondered why your city keeps cutting services while your taxes keep rising, this book is for you. With sharp analysis and a touch of humor, Mitch unpacks the financial realities behind failing infrastructure and declining city budgets. A powerful and much-needed wake-up call." - Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns

Cities provide valuable quality of life amenities like parks, pools and libraries. They're also responsible for providing critical life-sustaining services, things like sanitation, public safety and clean drinking water. Vitally, they need to be able to do it not only today, but for generations to come. So how do we know if our city can afford to do this forever? And if not, what needs to change?

Most people have no idea what the answer is, or how to find it. But have no fear: help is on the way! Luckily, you can read this book while you wait for it to arrive.

Just kidding - you're the help. (Or you will be after reading this book.)

You'll Pay For This kicks off The City Project, a series edited by Emma and Michel Durand-Wood.

Michel Durand-Wood's profile page

Emma Durand-Wood's profile page

Michel lives in the Winnipeg neighbourhood of Elmwood with his wife and three children, and he writes about infrastructure and municipal finance at DearWinnipeg.com. His writing has been featured extensively online and in print, including Strong Towns, Streetsblog USA, CBC, the Winnipeg Free Press and La Liberté .

"If you've ever wondered why your city keeps cutting services while your taxes keep rising, this book is for you. With sharp analysis and a touch of humor, Mitch unpacks the financial realities behind failing infrastructure and declining city budgets. A powerful and much-needed wake-up call." - Charles Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns

"With levity and comedic prose providing tasting notes similar to Douglas Adams, "Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy", Michel provides what should be a mandatory read for any voting citizen. While the prose maybe funny, the content is anything but." - Michael Janz, Edmonton City Councillor & three-term Public School Trustee