Kajaani Left is building a just, sustainable and vibrant Kajaani, in which the daily life of everyone is good. We focus on quality essential services, fairly priced housing, sustainable development and the participation of residents.
For fairly-priced housing
In Kajaani everyone should have the right to quality housing at a fair price. The municipal housing company Kajaanin Pietari has decreased rents to below private rates, which will decrease the upwards pressure on rents in the coming years. In particular, this will increase the purchasing power of low-income residents, and improve everyone’s living conditions.
The city must direct construction of new housing in a way that enough units, fitting the needs of people in all stages of their lives, are built. The city centre must be developed by utilising underused plots for additional and complementary building. This will both improve the centre’s image and increase the potential for local business development in the city centre.
The city must actively accumulate land in order to ensure a varied supply of plots for new construction. The property tax for permanently utilized residential buildings should be kept at the current level.
Quality education is the basis for the viability of Kajaani
The group sizes for kindergartens, pre-schools and primary schools must be kept at a level, at which each child receives individual attention, while also learning to function as a part of a group. Special needs education must be maintained in the future. Bullying must be eliminated via new methods that also support families.
In order to improve the overall competencies the amount of education provided needs to be increased and self development needs to be possible at all stages of ones life. Sufficient personnel resources to ensure in-person studies in both secondary and vocational schools must be provided, in order to prepare students to advance in their lives after education.
Kajaani is already a forerunner in competencies relating to data centres. This development needs to be strengthened through new structures formed within Kajaani University of Applied Sciences. More university level education must be systematically acquired through collaborative projects and master’s programmes.
Improving wellbeing pays off
Improving mental wellbeing and combatting loneliness must be made into the central pillars of the city’s wellbeing work. Sporting activities in peoples daily lives should be promoted, especially for children and people who do not engage much in physical activities.
The city must commit itself, in both words and deeds, into non-discrimination, equality and antiracism. The involvement of children, youths, the elderly, the disabled and other vulnerable groups must be increased through concrete actions.
Everyone has a right to partake in self-development, culture and the arts. Free libraries and museums provide an excellent place for people from differing backgrounds to meet. The city must develop public municipal cultural services and deepen its co operation with the independent sector in arts and culture, thus strengthening Kajaani’s position as a forward looking city that hosts cultural activities and events. Kajaani must recognise the intrinsic value of culture and the arts and strengthen the potential for the creative work of independent artists and cultural workers.
On the side of nature and the environment
The city must promote energy-efficient and carbon neutral construction. The viability of walking and cycling must be improved. Public transit must be developed and the potential for city-wide, demand-responsive transportation must be investigated. A light traffic route should be constructed between Kajaani and Sotkamo, together with an all year hiking trail network.
The city must reduce its emissions so that carbon neutrality is achieved by the end of the current decade. The city must utilise the waste heat from data centres efficiently in order to reduce residents’ heating costs.
In its land use the city must commit to preserving the amount of naturally valuable locations, forests and waters in the Kajaani area. Locations of particular natural value within the city area must be protected. An adaptation plan must be made in order to prepare the city for the effects of climate change. To safeguard natural diversity, areas for natural meadows need to be designated within residential areas and environmental education needs to be increased from kindergarten onwards.
Work and welfare sustainably
Municipal services must primarily be self-produced, as a capable municipal workforce guarantees quality services, including during states of emergency. The occupational wellbeing of municipal workers must be taken care of, as motivated and healthy staff ensure quality services for residents. Work environments and salaries must be proper in order to keep Kajaani as an attractive employer for people in different fields.
Public procurement must be directed towards local and socially responsible businesses to retain jobs and tax revenue within the local area, and increasing capabilities in public procurement is a key to achieving this. The employment of the long-term unemployed and people with decreased work capacity must be promoted through co operation with businesses and the third sector, as well as increased public employment opportunities.
The involvement of immigrant residents and foreign language speaking residents must be increased. Kajaani must develop a plan through which the number of immigrants choosing permanent residency in the city could be increased. Co operation with the business sector must be developed, in order to develop career paths for foreign-language speakers.