2023 Toronto Mayoral by-election

[Northern Light]

New Forum Poll out today.

Chow 38
Saunders 13
Matlow 12
Furey 10
Bailao 8
Hunter 7
Bradford 5

The discrepancy on Bailao btw Mainstreet and all other posters defies logic.

Taken from: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...-voting-set-to-start-in-mayoral-election.html

 

[christiesplits]

New Forum Poll out today.

Chow 38
Saunders 13
Matlow 12
Furey 10
Bailao 8
Hunter 7
Bradford 5

The discrepancy on Bailao btw Mainstreet and all other posters defies logic.

Taken from: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...-voting-set-to-start-in-mayoral-election.html

If you told me three weeks ago that Furey would overtake Bailao or Bradford, I would have thought you were crazy. I'm curious to see if he continues to climb.

 

[Admiral Beez]

The taxes are also being kept low for seniors who are on average the wealthiest generation that have paid for homes and can most afford the property tax hikes...

Unless you force seniors to sell their homes, how is the average senior supposed to pay higher property taxes? This is not an uncommon approach cities take where property tax increases are used to clear out senior homeowners. Meanwhile, with no need for schools, little utilities and much reduced road use, the average homeowning senior is costing the city very little at all, beyond your resentment of course.

 

[Admiral Beez]

^ transit city was brilliant. Too bad that the following administration was stupid enough to scrap it.

I blame Miller. He bailed before enacting his plan, leaving us to Ford. Miller would have won again, and could have put Transit City irrevocably into play before retiring to this lofting roles elsewhere.

 

[Northern Light]

Unless you force seniors to sell their homes, how is the average senior supposed to pay higher property taxes? This is not an uncommon approach cities take where property tax increases are used clear out senior homeowners. Meanwhile, with no need for schools, little utilities and much reduced road use, the average homeowning senior is costing the city very little at all, beyond your resentment of course.

There is already a program for seniors to defer a portion of their property tax if they find it financial burden, and the City collects the money on sale of the property.

Property Tax, Water & Solid Waste Relief Programs

You can now use the City’s new online portal to submit your application and to find out which rebate programs you are eligible for. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2023. Apply Online

www.toronto.ca

 

[Northern Light]

I blame Miller. He bailed before enacting his plan, leaving us to Ford. Miller would have won again, and could have put Transit City irrevocably into play before retiring to this lofting roles elsewhere.

He became profoundly unpopular during the garbage strike in which he was seen to be caving to the Unions and not in a rush to address the issue. That was likely unfair, but not helped by the terrible optics of Miller nearly in tears when there was some picket line violence at a transfer station.

He likely could have recovered; but between the political damage and the amount of abuse he and his staff were taking from the public, he chose to exit.

Perhaps the wrong call; perhaps a strategic error in terms of how he handled the negotiation/strike; but understandable, I think.

 

[Admiral Beez]

He likely could have recovered; but between the political damage and the amount of abuse he and his staff were taking from the public, he chose to exit.

Incumbent mayors losing their reelection attempt is a very rare thing in Toronto. Sewell was beaten by Eggleton. That's the only one I can recall.

 

[TonyV]

At this point it is absolutely Chow’s race to lose. I’m very certain that she’s being coached to stay on message and avoid landmines.

Chow’s election pitch — the overarching message of inclusiveness, combined with the careful grandmotherly approach — are working, in the wake of two aberrations (Rob Ford’s belligerent “screw ‘em, then Tory’s “we really are dullards after all”).

Chow should call on a large cross section of individuals to lead the city if she wins.

 

[TonyV]

He became profoundly unpopular during the garbage strike in which he was seen to be caving to the Unions and not in a rush to address the issue. That was likely unfair, but not helped by the terrible optics of Miller nearly in tears when there was some picket line violence at a transfer station.

He likely could have recovered; but between the political damage and the amount of abuse he and his staff were taking from the public, he chose to exit.

Perhaps the wrong call; perhaps a strategic error in terms of how he handled the negotiation/strike; but understandable, I think.

Agreed. I found that he was a brilliant person who unfortunately lost his nerve. I’d heard rumours that he’d had a belly full of the right wingers. Also, it was suggested by some that he new a right wing wave was coming. I considered this tragic.

He did make errors, I’ll give you that. On balance he was good!

 

[Videodrome]

I am honestly not sure who gets my support at this point, but I know who won't get it. Saunders let a serial killer hunt down the gay community and Furey is kind of anti-immigrant, so count them out.

 

[adma]

Incumbent mayors losing their reelection attempt is a very rare thing in Toronto. Sewell was beaten by Eggleton. That's the only one I can recall.

Rowlands was beaten by Hall in '14. (And in the outer municipalities, both Holyday & Nunziata defeated incumbents that year.)

 

[lead82]

Unless you force seniors to sell their homes, how is the average senior supposed to pay higher property taxes? This is not an uncommon approach cities take where property tax increases are used to clear out senior homeowners. Meanwhile, with no need for schools, little utilities and much reduced road use, the average homeowning senior is costing the city very little at all, beyond your resentment of course.

Seniors should pay what everyone else is paying. My point is that we shouldn’t avoid increasing property taxes to protect seniors. If a senior can’t pay then they should do what everyone else would - sell and move somewhere more affordable for their income.
We could also do what Vancouver does and that is to defer property tax until the properly sells. The city would put an IOU onto the property. The city needs more money for better services that seniors can rely on like better snow clearing, transit etc…

 

[Admiral Beez]

Seniors should pay what everyone else is paying. My point is that we shouldn’t avoid increasing property taxes to protect seniors. If a senior can’t pay then they should do what everyone else would - sell and move somewhere more affordable for their income.
We could also do what Vancouver does and that is to defer property tax until the properly sells. The city would put an IOU onto the property. The city needs more money for better services that seniors can rely on like better snow clearing, transit etc…

Property taxes should be a percentage of services used, not on value. Instead we should have VAT charged on all primary residence transactions.

 

[lead82]

Property taxes should be a percentage of services used, not on value. Instead we should have VAT charged on all primary residence transactions.

How would you ever have a property tax on services used? Property tax can only ever be on the value of the land and its usage.

I’m all for VAT but that is HST essentially and the city doesn’t have access to such revenue. If Toronto could get 2% of HST and raising it to 15% , where it was in early 2000s then city could use that to cover some of the budget hole.

 

[afransen]

Property taxes should be a percentage of services used, not on value. Instead we should have VAT charged on all primary residence transactions.

Land value tax should be used to fund services. It is demonstrated to incentivize investment and not harm affordability.