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Rob Ford's Toronto

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Tulse said:
Does Doug think that subways are an election winner in Etobicoke? That seems silly to me, especially since I doubt very much that the Tories would be willing to promise any more money for transit in Toronto.
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I think Hudak figures that Ford might be able to manufacture enough anti-McGuinty sentiment to give Hudak a shot at Toronto seats he otherwise wouldn't get. I also think (hope) it's a longshot. But, combined with George Smitherman's seemingly endless minefield of corrupt initiatives while in government, it may be all dim Tim needs to complete the trifecta and come riding to Rob Ford's rescue by building the Sheppard subway and tearing up the streetcar tracks (not to mention the many other things they would do that are too unmentionable to record here).
 
MetroMan said:
The house of cards is about to fall down. This is unprecedented in our city. It will be interesting to see the city being run by City Council and not the Mayor. Rob and Doug will still get the spotlight in the media but they're going to have fewer and fewer councillors standing behind them at press conferences.
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Very interesting. But how does this work for city staff? Are people like Wright and Pennacchetti meeting with opposition councillors regularly, and who do they take direction from? Who's going to write the next budget, and which set of politicians is going to be dictating strategy?

Getting Council to move seems like progress, but I'm worried how the city is going to function for the next couple of years.
 
You guys are funny.

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So, er, what do you people think(!) should be done about Toronto's massive budget problems, that Ford was elected to fix? Before Torontonians actually found out they might have to pay for what they use?
 
Simple just raise taxes and user fees.

When I can't afford to pay for something I really want I just ask my boss for a raise.

Heaven forbid we have to make actual choices about what we can and can't afford. That's not nice.

Remember everyone's 'wants' are equally important and we musn't say no to anyone.
 
RichA said:
So, er, what do you people think(!) should be done about Toronto's massive budget problems, that Ford was elected to fix? Before Torontonians actually found out they might have to pay for what they use?
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Have people pay the tax increases that they've shown that they want to pay for services. Problem solved.
 
RichA said:
So, er, what do you people think(!) should be done about Toronto's massive budget problems, that Ford was elected to fix? Before Torontonians actually found out they might have to pay for what they use?
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Please read the thread for answers to your questions if you would like to take part in the discussion.
 
RichA said:
Toronto's massive budget problems, that Ford was elected to fix?
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If he was elected to fix the massive budget problems, why did he cut the Vehicle Registration Tax and threaten to cut the Land Transfer Tax, both moves which make the budget problem worse?
 
RichA:

I thought someone promised that by cutting gravy* all services will remain intact.

AoD

*Def: Gravy - 1. noun - liquid foodstuff made from meat juices, often served with Poutine; 2. noun - monetary and other perks causing fiscal constipation - see Unobtainium, Aetherium, Fairy Dust.
 
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hawc said:
Simple just raise taxes and user fees.

When I can't afford to pay for something I really want I just ask my boss for a raise.

Heaven forbid we have to make actual choices about what we can and can't afford. That's not nice.

Remember everyone's 'wants' are equally important and we musn't say no to anyone.
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I get what you are saying. I hate it when my employees ask me for a raise every year. They just need to suck it up and make do with what they have.
 
Look, until Toronto property taxes are *at least* in line with the rest of the GTA, there is no reasonable discussion to be had about wholesale budget cuts.

Besides, the last budget discussions plainly showed that Toronto has no severe structural deficit (it was only $177M). Long term the amount of debt the city has could become an issue but for now its being serviced by generational low interest rates and is simply not that big of a deal.
 
Tulse said:
If he was elected to fix the massive budget problems, why did he cut the Vehicle Registration Tax and threaten to cut the Land Transfer Tax, both moves which make the budget problem worse?
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Ford cut the Vehicle Registration Tax because his 310-pound frame drives his minivan everywhere and can't be arsed to pay an extra $60 a year (gee, that's 15 whole cents a day!) to do it, and because his newspaper goon squad (Toronto Sun) told him to. Ford doesn't have the view of a mayor of a major city. Not that his rivals (aside from Thomson, who had a few good ideas) were any better.
 
hawc:

Does it make your feel better about yourself to make fun of other people's weight? Grow up.
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He certainly didn't seem to have a problem with making it a public issue by turning it into a sideshow, in lieu of answering questions from the press when council is dealing with a litany of important issues. Just saying.

AoD
 
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