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link — Comments Off on We don’t need oversight because we’re not going to make mistakes
24
Jan 11

We don’t need oversight because we’re not going to make mistakes

Couple of notes from the budget meetings today. The first is the entirely unsurprising news that the mayor’s first budget, in addition to being bigger than last year’s budget, will also grow the city’s workforce.

And now we learn that the budget committee has voted to deny the request of Toronto ombudsman Fiona Crean — who operates independently — to add two staff to her office.

The funniest part is councillor Peter Milczyn’s rationale as to why extra staff in the ombudsman’s office is unnecessary. Here’s The Globe & Mail’s Anna Mehler Paperny:

Several councillors, including Peter Milczyn, who put forward the motion that passed at committee by a show of hands on Monday, said beefing up the ombudsman’s office is unnecessary because the city plans to improve its customer service record anyway.

via City ombudsman’s request for more staff turned down – The Globe and Mail.

Brilliant.

link — Comments Off on Meanwhile, in the thrilling world of commercial property tax rates…
24
Jan 11

Meanwhile, in the thrilling world of commercial property tax rates…

A City of Toronto press release today answers a question I’ve been curious about since Ford took office. The plan to rebalance commercial property tax rates started under David Miller will continue:

The ‘Enhancing Toronto’s Business Climate’ initiative will reduce the tax ratios for the multi-residential class and the business classes to 2.5-times the residential tax rate by 2020 (a 15 year plan), and provides for an accelerated reduction in tax rates for small businesses, with a target of 2.5-times the residential rate by 2015 (a 10 year plan, instead of the 15 years for the rest of commercial).

via Budget Committee tables continuing tax relief programs in Toronto.

This is good news. While Toronto’s residential property taxes are very low, its commercial taxes are unduly high. This encourages businesses to set up in the 905 which — nothing against the 905 — isn’t really a desirable outcome, particularly as it relates to a growing class of young people who live downtown and commute outwards to the suburbs for work.

link — Comments Off on “Ford walked away”
24
Jan 11

“Ford walked away”

At InsideToronto.com, reporter Mike Adler is getting a bit catty:

Ford, who chaired the meeting for over an hour, said it was important to hear such views. “You’re our boss, we understand that,” he said. But outside the chamber said most people are happy with his plans for a zero-per-cent budget increase.

He added he gets lots of emails and phone calls from people pleased council dropped the city’s $60 car registration fee or got rid of free food at meetings. Asked to comment on the most intelligent thing he heard at the forum, Ford walked away, saying he had to get to another meeting in York.

via InsideToronto Article: Don’t raise user fees, budget forum hears. (Emphasis added.)

link — Comments Off on Fighting gravy with gravy
22
Jan 11

Fighting gravy with gravy

Toronto Life’s John Michael McGrath crunches the numbers on campaign debt leftover from the fall election. Here’s where the losers stand:

Mayor Ford, on the other hand, is $800,000 in the hole. And while, yes, it’s funny that the candidate for fiscal restraint apparently exercised none in his own mayoral campaign, the big question I have is this: You spent that kind of cash and yet your first campaign website looked like this?

link — Comments Off on Cutting a lot to save a little
22
Jan 11

Cutting a lot to save a little

Torontoist, under new editorial Hamutal Dotan, has really ramped up their city council coverage. It’s a welcome change. Their new series ‘Balancing Act’ takes a look at government claims, and tells us whether or not they’re total bullshit.

Here’s Emily Shepard on the proposed user fee increases in 2011:

But the biggest hit will come to those who attend programs at priority centres: twenty-one community centres and pools around the city that offer their programming for free. Eight of these centres are located in one of Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods. Adults would have to start paying for programs at priority centres under the 2011 budget, at an average cost of $68 per nine-week class.

via Balancing Act: User Fees – Torontoist.

Sheppard points out that it would cost only $200,000 to continue to provide free access to residents in priority neighbourhoods. This move smells like it’s driven more by ideology than fiscal prudence.

While you’re over at Torontoist, check out their coverage of yesterday’s football non-story too.

link — Comments Off on Goodbye Kouvalis
22
Jan 11

Goodbye Kouvalis

Ford’s chief of staff and noted election shit-disturber Nick Kovualis is stepping down. Kelly Grant with the Globe reports:

Nick Kouvalis is planning to depart in three or four weeks for a new post within the administration leading the city’s efforts to contract out garbage services, according to Councillor Doug Ford, the Mayor’s brother.

“He’s going to be leaving as the chief of staff, but he will still be part of the team,” Mr. Ford said late Friday. “We’re going to get the subway done, we’re going to finish that deal and then he [Mr. Kouvalis] is going after the garbage.”

via Rob Ford’s chief of staff stepping down – The Globe and Mail.

It’s been played as amiable, but there sure were a lot of rumblings in December that the Fords were unhappy with Kouvalis and his passion for rambling on about how he totally duped the city into voting for a guy who can’t articulate words with four syllables or more.

Ultimately this probably doesn’t add up to much. Ford is established now. The only thing I’d note is that Kouvalis has been a big part of how Ford has managed to rein in his famous temper and avoid the gaffes that marked the early part of his political career. Kouvalis’ exit, which presumably means Doug will be calling more of the shots, could lead to a less disciplined and more free-wheeling Rob Ford.

link — Comments Off on TTC essential service designation benefits no one
22
Jan 11

TTC essential service designation benefits no one

Karen Howlett with the Globe:

Ontario Labour Minister Charles Sousa said in a letter to Mr. Ford on Friday that his staff will begin consultations with Toronto Transit Commission management and union leaders as well as city staff on whether the provincial government should introduce legislation banning strikes.

via Province to begin consultations over proposed TTC essential service legislation – The Globe and Mail.

Ultimately, the mayor’s push to make the TTC an essential service was motivated by two things. The first has to do with semantics: the word ‘essential’ makes this a popular move because people see it as a government acknowledging the importance of transit. The second reason is that essential service designation lets the government off the hook. Whereas past governments had to face the public and wear the outcome of labour negotiations, going forward the mayor and council will be able to shrug their shoulders and blame the province when the union gets a pay increase.

The big concern — and this won’t get anywhere near the coverage it should — is the specifics of the legislation the province will introduce. Will it declare all service offered by the TTC essential, or will only core weekday service be protected?

link — Comments Off on Are we ready for some football?
21
Jan 11

Are we ready for some football?

Via CityNews with no byline, probably because they’re just summarizing a story from the Toronto Sun:

The Fords believe Toronto should move an existing team here or try for an expansion team.

The mayor said the NFL would need a new domed stadium because the 46,374-seat capacity at the Rogers Centre, where the Buffalo Bills have played, simply isn’t big enough to accommodate the American game. Ford believes a new facility would fit well at Downsview and told the paper he believes the federal government would be on side with his plan “in a heartbeat”.

via Mayor & Brother Want NFL In Toronto In A New Stadium – CityNews.

When I first read this, I figured it was just Doug rambling on about a pet issue of his. But the Toronto Sun cover photo of the mayor squatting over a football with his brother takes this story to a whole other level of weird.

I don’t think there’s much sense in getting all up in arms over an early draft hypothetical plan to bring an NFL team and stadium to Downsview, especially as they’re not committing city dollars to the idea. I’m not intrinsically opposed to such a thing. But on the other hand, is this really our priority? Is the expectation that the federal government would be open to funding a Toronto NFL stadium at all realistic given the recent Quebec City NHL stadium debacle? And won’t all this theatricality just serve to piss off the CFL?

Kudos to Ford’s communication team for successfully distracting people from the 2011 budget process for a day.

link — Comments Off on Talking to the media is for suckers
20
Jan 11

Talking to the media is for suckers

David Nickle with InsideToronto:

[T]he Ford administration has so far been marked by a distinct absence of regular media availability – as was his mayoralty campaign, conducted more over YouTube and automated telephone calls than anything involving direct access.

via InsideToronto Article: THE CITY: Mayor Ford engages in the pursuit of accountability.

Call it the Stephen Harper strategy. For whatever reason, avoiding the media has been a very successful move of late for politicians. Their popularity doesn’t suffer and they get to control their message through media releases. Plus, when the hard-to-reach politicians finally DO grant an interview the outlets slobber all over themselves and ask softball questions because they’re so grateful jut to have access for once.

It sounds like I’m whining but I don’t think I am. I’m… lamenting, maybe. Honestly it’s been such a successful strategy for some conservative politicians that progressive politicians might as well imitate the behaviour and start freezing out the media too.

link — Comments Off on Just making sure they don’t have fatal health problems
20
Jan 11

Just making sure they don’t have fatal health problems

Don Peat with the Sun:

TTC employees got a warning this week Mayor Rob Ford may be dropping by to make sure no one is sleeping on the job.

TTC management recorded a phone message for collectors Monday saying the mayor and some city councillors will be visiting TTC stations and some work sites.

[…]

Sleeping on the job sparked a public relations nightmare for the TTC last year when, just weeks into a 25-cent fare hike, a frustrated rider snapped a picture of a collector sleeping inside his booth.

via Mayor Ford is coming, stop sleeping: TTC | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun.

Far be it from me to question a customer service initiative — and, yes, anything to get the mayor out of his car and into a subway station — but shouldn’t this article mention that the ultimate outcome of the “frustrated rider [snapping] a picture of a collector sleeping inside his booth” was that the man, George Robitaille, died due to chronic health issues?

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