Higher taxes aren't going to give people manners.
No, they won't.
However, where some of the complaints here are less about 'manners' and more about people who have hygiene challenges due to homelessness; or act erratically, because they have untreated mental illness/addiction issues; then higher taxes may address some of what is being complained about here.
Supportive housing, affordable housing, universal mental healthcare and pharmacare, a more caring, welcoming and proactive shelter/support system are all things that do require additional tax to fund.
Surprisingly little additional tax in the medium to long term, once savings from incarceration, courts and ERs are taken into account.
However, there would be a need for additional tax even then; and noticeably more in the short-term as investments will precede savings.
Roughly, $280M per year would take every single person in the shelter system in Toronto and give them an apartment.
Throw in making 2,000 of those units 'supportive' (added mental healthcare/addition supports) and you get another 20M per year or so.
Putting aside 'universal programs for one moment; though I favour these; covering the cost of mental health drugs/treatment for roughly 20,000 people more than have such coverage today) would likely cost in the range
of 60M per year.
If the the City bore all of the above costs, you'd be in for 360M or so.
That represents a total tax increase of under 3% for the City of Toronto (above routine inflationary hikes).
Throw in extra investments in maintaining public spaces well (cleaning, litter/dumping removal etc.), more outreach services to the needy, and some modest investments in core public services (transit, libraries, recreation etc.)
And you might end up with an overall tax hike of 6%.
Spread that over 4 years, and get you inflation, plus 1.5% per year or a typical tax hike of 3.5% per year for 4 years. Hardly onerous. Worth every penny if it helps house the majority of the homeless and creates a kinder and more pleasant City for all.
