Next Mayor of Toronto?

[SimonP]

What's even more baffling is David Miller telling people to ignore the media and vote for Joe. Really? Does he really think that Somehow magically, the polls will be wrong by as much as 30% in his favour? Does Miller really want to see his legacy of 7 years destroyed in under 1?

I cast my vote for Joe today, because I realize that Miller's legacy will be destroyed by both of the contenders. But at least we'll likely have only four years of Ford while Smitherman could be there for eight. Smitherman is also far more likely to be able to get his vision through council.

This isn't some crazy position. Consider city council. Even progressive Liberals, like Shelley Carroll and Adrian Heaps, aren't supporting Smitherman, and he only got a grudging non-endorsement from Vaughan.

 

[nfitz]

I cast my vote for Joe today, because I realize that Miller's legacy will be destroyed by both of the contenders.

Ford looks like he will try to destroy more of Miller legacy than Smitherman. Ford would cancel new subway for LRT under Eglinton and also cancel the new streetcar order; Smitherman would keep both, along with Sheppard and Finch LRTs. Ford would end funding for Waterfront Toronto, yet Smitherman would keep (though perhaps slow).

 

[picard102]

Ford looks like he will try to destroy more of Miller legacy than Smitherman. Ford would cancel new subway for LRT under Eglinton and also cancel the new streetcar order; Smitherman would keep both, along with Sheppard and Finch LRTs. Ford would end funding for Waterfront Toronto, yet Smitherman would keep (though perhaps slow).

Do you really think Ford would have the ability to pass anything as crazy as you suggest with the poor relationship he has with council?

 

[nfitz]

Do you really think Ford would have the ability to pass anything as crazy as you suggest with the poor relationship he has with council?

As far as I know, he doesn't need a full council vote to scupper contracts. He appoints the members of the TTC and the Executive Committee. While he may not be able to start new projects, he should have enough power to simply cancel existing contracts.

 

[PinkLucy]

Except that cancelling contracts isn't always straightforward and can cause a lot of legal wrangling and costs for cancellation penalties. So any gravy train savings could be needed to pay for cancellations.

 

[Fac1]

Do you really think Ford would have the ability to pass anything as crazy as you suggest with the poor relationship he has with council?

That depends on the complexion of the new council. And if you expect a combative relationship with council, assuming it stays left-of-centre, isn't that indicative of how useless the next four years will be and how little will be accomplished? And isn't it scary that he espouses these "crazy" beliefs in the first place? A mayor will need to rule with consensus and I certainly think Smitherman has the potential for that, at least more so than Ford does.

I certainly think he will be more destructive to the city than Smitherman, and what happens if along with Ford we have a number of right-wing councilors elected in swing wards? Even if he isn't able to do much, do you really want whoever he chooses as TTC chair, likely a right-wing ideologue, pushing to complete the Sheppard line and abandon Transit City? Yeah, it all depends on provincial funding, but I definitely don't want an anti-transit mayor, something which could get even worse if Hudak is elected next year. I don't think Giambrone has done a good job, but at least the TTC has generally moved in the right direction over the past few years given its almost comical dependence on fare-box returns.

 

[SimonP]

He appoints the members of the TTC and the Executive Committee. While he may not be able to start new projects, he should have enough power to simply cancel existing contracts.

TTC board and chair are not appointed by the mayor, they are still voted on by council. As long as McGuinty is premier the Eglinton line will still get built. If Hudak gets in next year there is a real chance that it will be scrapped even if Smitherman is mayor.

 

[adma]

This suggests that the editorial is not being written by the usual people.

Which suggests that the endorsement is being dictated to them from outside the editorial board.

Remember that the Sun is owned by the Quebec-based company trying to set up Fox News North. These are not people who gives a rat's ass about Toronto.

Or, perhaps, that they were preparing that rumoured Rossi endorsement...only to have Rossi drop out on them. Thus, an eleventh-hour substitution...

 

[adma]

Oh, and before assumng absolutely that Smitherman has the momentum, remember the first megaelection in 1987, when it looked like Barbara Hall had the momentum to upset Mel...until the votes came pouring in, and the momentum turned out to be an abrupt plateau...

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I don't think Giambrone has done a good job, but at least the TTC has generally moved in the right direction over the past few years given its almost comical dependence on fare-box returns.

1. Either you think the TTC has done better, and need to give some props to the Chair, or not. You might not like the guy (and I think he's an insufferable windbag), but the TTC does not fight its Chair.

2. In a perfect world, public transit should be 100% dependent on fares. I know that this will never be the case, but, quite frankly, one of the better things about the TTC is that it has to rely on attracting customers, not do silly-ass projects, and plan carefully. And those are all things that fall out of the fact that the TTC needs to figure out how to get 'bums in seats.'

 

[Calrissian]

If Hudak gets in next year there is a real chance that it will be scrapped even if Smitherman is mayor.

Oh Right, looking forward to worrying about all this again next year...

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Hahahaha... this is AWESOME!

A long time ago there was a guy called Varus. He led three Roman legions into the German forest with Arminius as his advisor, some even say friend. They were ambushed by the German tribes led by no other than Arminius and all three legions were utterly destroyed. Truth be told, Varus only had one sin, he was incompetent. He shouldn't have trusted Arminius and he shouldn't have underestimated the German tribes. I don't think he profited from it or anything. The Romans fought bravely under very tough conditions. Most commanders died or fell on their own swords.

What should have Varus done? Should he come back to his emperor and people and say "So what if I lost three legions, I was still a great administrator of Germania, the best out there. Sure Teutoburg Forest was not my best work, but we held the Rhine River and my work will pay off. Now I am more experienced, please make me the mayor of Rome"? I am sure he could have said those words and you would forgive him and even give Rome to him, but he didn't, he either died in combat or fell on his own sword.

Still, the great emperor Augustus never fully recovered by from the defeat. Some say he would wake up in the middle of the night and shout 'Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!'. And that's what Ontarians should do, "George Smitherman, give me back my $1 billion!".

That has to be the longest, most interesting non sequitor I've ever read! Very few times do I laugh out loud at this Forum. Thank you for enlivening my evening. However, a teeny, tiny question -- how does your story relate to your argument? In any way, shape, or form? Are you suggesting that eHealth was deliberately trashed by Visigoth traitors? Are you suggesting it's so bad it's causing extra deaths all across Ontario, equivalent to many legions? Are you subliminally trying to send the message that you're an unsufferable prig? Expliquez, mon dodo!

Excellent, excellent post!

 

[allabootmatt]

I cast my vote for Joe today, because I realize that Miller's legacy will be destroyed by both of the contenders. But at least we'll likely have only four years of Ford while Smitherman could be there for eight. Smitherman is also far more likely to be able to get his vision through council.

This isn't some crazy position. Consider city council. Even progressive Liberals, like Shelley Carroll and Adrian Heaps, aren't supporting Smitherman, and he only got a grudging non-endorsement from Vaughan.

I don't agree that betting someone with ghastly views can't or won't do the things he says he will is a viable political strategy.

 

[Fac1]

1. Either you think the TTC has done better, and need to give some props to the Chair, or not. You might not like the guy (and I think he's an insufferable windbag), but the TTC does not fight its Chair.

My point is that while I don't agree with a number of things Giambrone has done, the TTC has at least made some progress, not spectacular progress, but some nonetheless. Transit City is not perfect, but it is at least something, is funded, and will serve more of Toronto than a Sheppard expansion. If our new council, on the whole, prioritizes transit less than currently, I think we will have a much worse Chair than Giambrone.

2. In a perfect world, public transit should be 100% depedent on fares. I know that this will never be the case, but, quite frankly, one of the better things about the TTC is that it has to rely on attracting customers, not doing silly-ass projects, and plan carefully. And those are all things that fall out of the fact that the TTC needs to figure out how to get 'bums in seats.'

And since that will never be the case, in reality we need more government subsidies in order to properly expand our system and attract more customers. Would you consider our current Sheppard nub to be a "silly-ass project"?

Btw, I notice a lot of Smitherman support in Riverdale, though I don't hold much stock in how signage correlates to actual voting.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

She detests Ford more than most. Her logic is that because she also dislikes Smitherman, she can't give him her vote...she doesn't agree with strategic voting/lesser of two evils logic...and if on the very off chance Joe somehow pulls up the middle and has a chance, she wouldn't be happy with taking a vote away from him.

Way back in the '80s in undergrad, I heard this many times -- there are two types of voters, strategic and committed. Those who are committed find the strategic voters insane, and vice versa. Looks like you married across the divide!