Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[picard102]

Make it relevant to city density and we can discuss whose taxes are higher.
Toronto has 14 times the density of Thunder Bay. Of course it's tax rate is going to be lower.

 

[Northern Light]

Make it relevant to city density and we can discuss whose taxes are higher.
Toronto has 14 times the density of Thunder Bay. Of course it's tax rate is going to be lower.

Not a fair comment.

That would be looking into WHY the City has the tax rate it does.

Which is not the talking point.

The talking point is that its rate is among the very lowest vs peer municipalities; and as such there is room available to increase it without being uncompetitive.

 

[picard102]

Peer municipalities implies that Toronto has a peers. In Ontario, and the rest of Canada, it does not.
Vancouver maybe, but even they have a lower tax rate than Toronto.

 

[Northern Light]

Peer municipalities implies that Toronto has a peers. In Ontario, and the rest of Canada, it does not.
Vancouver maybe, but even they have a lower tax rate than Toronto.

You're missing the point, again.

There is room to increase the rate without any adverse impact.

 

[picard102]

There is "room" to increase taxes always. Doesn't make a case that it should.

 

[afransen]

Maybe the most meaningful measure is average property tax bill / median household income. Low rate on high house price is kind of misleading.

 

[Northern Light]

There is "room" to increase taxes always. Doesn't make a case that it should.

You are an ideologue who never bothers to cite evidence in service of your ideas; and you ignore the evidence presented by others.

I will return to ignoring you.

 

[Northern Light]

Maybe the most meaningful measure is average property tax bill / median household income. Low rate on high house price is kind of misleading.

Absolute bill is the most equitable number, and Toronto is very competitive when you look at the absolute amount paid by single-family homeowners.

Either way Toronto is near the bottom for property tax charged in the GTA and in Ontario.

Edit to add, since median income in Toronto is higher than the province as a whole, by several thousand per year, that would only make Toronto's numbers look lower still.

 

[Northern Light]

We're finally getting civilians to direct traffic, instead of police.

An idea first raised many years ago......

Finally approved by the province.

Civilian traffic agents finally dispatched to Toronto intersections in attempt to reduce gridlock, improve safety

Toronto city staff in 2016 first recommended using non-police agents to ensure intersections remain clear and safe.

www.thestar.com

From the article, these intersections will get the new staff:

• Front Street West and Bay Street
• Front Street West and Simcoe Street
• Front Street West and University Avenue/York Street
• Adelaide Street West and University Avenue
• Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street
• Queen Street West and Bay Street
• Wellington Street West and Simcoe Street
• Lower Jarvis Street and Lake Shore Boulevard East
• York Street and Gardiner Expressway on-ramp
• Bloor Street West and Bay Street
• Bay Street and Richmond Street West

 

[W. K. Lis]

We're finally get civilians to direct traffic, instead of police.

An idea first raised many years ago......

Finally approved by the province.

Civilian traffic agents finally dispatched to Toronto intersections in attempt to reduce gridlock, improve safety

Toronto city staff in 2016 first recommended using non-police agents to ensure intersections remain clear and safe.

www.thestar.com

From the article, these intersections will get the new staff:

• Front Street West and Bay Street
• Front Street West and Simcoe Street
• Front Street West and University Avenue/York Street
• Adelaide Street West and University Avenue
• Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street
• Queen Street West and Bay Street
• Wellington Street West and Simcoe Street
• Lower Jarvis Street and Lake Shore Boulevard East
• York Street and Gardiner Expressway on-ramp
• Bloor Street West and Bay Street
• Bay Street and Richmond Street West

The City of Toronto, being a "child" of the Province of Ontario, has to beg on bent knees before the Great Leader, Doug Ford, for almost anything that would improve traffic. Just like the former Premier refused to grant permission for tolling the Toronto owned Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway.

 

[Towered]

We're finally get civilians to direct traffic, instead of police.

An idea first raised many years ago......

Finally approved by the province.

Civilian traffic agents finally dispatched to Toronto intersections in attempt to reduce gridlock, improve safety

Toronto city staff in 2016 first recommended using non-police agents to ensure intersections remain clear and safe.

www.thestar.com

From the article, these intersections will get the new staff:

• Front Street West and Bay Street
• Front Street West and Simcoe Street
• Front Street West and University Avenue/York Street
• Adelaide Street West and University Avenue
• Adelaide Street East and Jarvis Street
• Queen Street West and Bay Street
• Wellington Street West and Simcoe Street
• Lower Jarvis Street and Lake Shore Boulevard East
• York Street and Gardiner Expressway on-ramp
• Bloor Street West and Bay Street
• Bay Street and Richmond Street West

Can we extend that to construction sites too? I'm sure the cost savings would be enormous.

 

[DSC]

Can we extend that to construction sites too? I'm sure the cost savings would be enormous.

I think that's the plan. You are 100% right that it is extremely wasteful to have trained police officers watch construction projects (when not on their cell phones). (In my opinion it also reduces the residual public support for the police to see them doing this rather 'menial' work.) The same permissions were needed from Queens Park as to deal with road junctions and I hope we applied for authorization to do both things.

 

[Northern Light]

I think that's the plan. You are 100% right that it is extremely wasteful to have trained police officers watch construction projects (when not on their cell phones). (In my opinion it also reduces the residual public support for the police to see them doing this rather 'menial' work.) The same permissions were needed from Queens Park as to deal with road junctions and I hope we applied for authorization to do both things.

On the issue of construction sites..........I wouldn't think provincial permission would be required.

Passing through major construction projects in cottage country or other remote areas of Ontario........I don't think I've ever seen an OPP officer holding up/directing traffic.

Its invariably one of the crew who just holds up a stop sign, and flips it around as appropriate, even in major corridors.

Which only makes sense, as one can't imagine where you find the police staffing time for such projects in small detachments of 8-12 officers (across all shifts)

 

[DSC]

On the issue of construction sites..........I wouldn't think provincial permission would be required.

Passing through major construction projects in cottage country or other remote areas of Ontario........I don't think I've ever seen an OPP officer holding up/directing traffic.

Its invariably one of the crew who just holds up a stop sign, and flips it around as appropriate, even in major corridors.

Which only makes sense, as one can't imagine where you find the police staffing time for such projects in small detachments of 8-12 officers (across all shifts)

I think it is needed as the purpose is to control (moving) traffic . I agree that this can and is done by construction workers in most parts of the civilised world but .....

See this from 2016

Agenda Item History - 2016.EX14.2

Not sure what finally happened to the request to the Province but i assume the recent announcement about non-cops at road junctions is a start!

 

[picard102]

Can we extend that to construction sites too? I'm sure the cost savings would be enormous.

Would it save money though? Isn't paid duty paid by the contractor? Did this change?

The TPS received about $5 million in revenue from administrative fees and equipment rental - about what it costs to run the program.

Eight things to know about police paid duty

Off-duty Toronto officers can fatten their pay packet considerably with side jobs. Here’s how it works.

www.thestar.com