The problem is that municipal issues by and large doesn't "stick" to politicians in the senior levels of govenment. For all the "New Deal for the Communities *ahem* City", at the end of the day, it isn't what getting them elected.
So yes, Miller can expend political capital and supposedly holds them to "the fire", with what? Press releases? Circus antics? And what fire? Unless he is willing to break the law and unleash some really unpleasant confrontations, there is really little to turn this into a front page news that sticks. People by and large doesn't care about details - which is exactly where the Greg Sobara "we are giving x million dollars more than the previous government" soundbite comes in. Not to mention, without the other big 4 taking part in this scheme, it'd be far too easy to dismiss this as a Toronto cry-baby antic.
Breaking the laws is exactly how it should be done - controversize the issue as much as one can, frame himself as a "tragic hero", rally the citizens, giving the senior levels of govenment a hot potato that glows like plutonium - like honestly, what are they going to do to the mayor of a city with 2 million people? Arrest him?
AoD