Toronto Underpass Park | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

[grey]

Ford inherited a financial mess no doubt.

Actually, Ford inherited a windfall. Miller's 2010 operating budget left a surplus of about $270 million, the basis upon which Ford was able to freeze property tax, cancel the vehicle registration tax, and distribute rebate cheques.

 

[Tulse]

And that was a surplus gathered in less-than-stellar economic conditions.

 

[GraphicMatt]

Let's not give Miller more credit than he's due -- the 2010 budget surplus was the result of unique circumstances, mostly beyond the city's control. Miller balanced the city's operating budget every year, as the city is required to do by law, but he was never able to balance things without using one-time funds like reserve money or provincial gifts.

The difference between Miller and Ford is that Miller believed that the only way for the city to get on stable financial footing was for the province to upload some of the costs downloaded on the city during the Harris years, whereas Ford believes the city can achieve a sustainable year-to-year operating budget purely through cuts to waste.

 

[DSC]

I realise that the City is obligated by law to have a balanced budget but the reason there was a healthy surplus in Miller's last year was that he started a really strong 'economy drive'. He deserves a lot of credit for doing that, even if it allowed Ford to do stupid things like freeze taxes and stop the vehicle registration tax. It's a little difficult to persuade people (i.e. the Provincial government) that you need more money if you do stuff like that!

Ford has persuaded people that the City property taxes are too high and that there is vast amounts of 'gravy' everywhere. Having lived elsewhere I think our property taxes are actually quite low and I strongly doubt there is all that much gravy either. In fact, I actually like a bit of gravy with my food - it adds interest and taste just as Ford's 'gravy', like the Fort York bridge, would have been a stylish and useful bit of municipal architecture.

 

[GraphicMatt]

I agree -- I just don't want people to think that Miller fixed the city's finances like a magician. We have a structural shortfall that goes back beyond amalgamation that needs to be addressed. That the last election was just a series of people pretending they could deal with this by attacking 'waste' was ridiculous.

You're right: the province isn't likely to be sympathetic to a city that has eliminated potential revenues. Even worse, provincial arbitrators are likely to buy the story that the city can't afford to give its union workers pay increases when clearly it is within the city's power to raise revenues.

 

[tkip]

Let's not give Miller more credit than he's due -- the 2010 budget surplus was the result of unique circumstances, mostly beyond the city's control. Miller balanced the city's operating budget every year, as the city is required to do by law, but he was never able to balance things without using one-time funds like reserve money or provincial gifts.

The difference between Miller and Ford is that Miller believed that the only way for the city to get on stable financial footing was for the province to upload some of the costs downloaded on the city during the Harris years, whereas Ford believes the city can achieve a sustainable year-to-year operating budget purely through cuts to waste.

This post best demonstrates the difference between Miller and Ford and how each had what had/has to be a nightmare to try and find savings and balance the books. I get the feeling that Ford may have bitten off more than he can chew since taking over office and looking at the books.

 

[grey]

Neither of them have effectively addressed the ballooning capital budget, which is a growing burden on the city because the interest payments for the debt have to be paid from the operating budget. At least Miller was spending on actual city building initiatives, whereas Ford is cutting spending and sources of revenue simply to shrink the government. It's indisputable that the city will have to respond with user fees and tax increases.

Ford only quietly acknowledged that a structural problem even exists back in January when he asked Ontario for money.

 

[neubilder]

Let's not give Miller more credit than he's due .... Ford believes the city can achieve a sustainable year-to-year operating budget purely through cuts to waste.

Unfortunately Ford's definition of waste seems to include everything progressive that has been happening in the city.

 

[adma]

Unfortunately Ford's definition of waste seems to include everything progressive that has been happening in the city.

"Progressive" = "pointy-headed". (And Ford's critics would append: "...as opposed to fat-headed")

 

[MajorSlick]

Does anyone know what "phase 1" of Underpass Park consists of? I read somewhere that Phase 1 is scheduled to completed this year.

 

[DSC]

Does anyone know what "phase 1" of Underpass Park consists of? I read somewhere that Phase 1 is scheduled to completed this year.

Phase 1 is the section east of St Lawrence Street - where they are working right now. Phase 2 is the section west of St Lawrence where work is due to start later. As WT website says:

"The park is being built in two phases, with the portion east of St. Lawrence Street adjacent to both the River City private sector development and the new affordable housing complex by Toronto Community Housing, being constructed first. The first phase is expected to be complete by the end of 2011. The second phase of the park, on the western side of St. Lawrence Street, will be built in the future."

The CEO report to the WT May meeting said "Excavation and backfilling began on the middle block (of the three blocks) at the beginning of April 2011." (The middle block is the one that runs from St Lawrence Stret to the extension of River Street. They will then work on the eastern block, east of River.)

See also: http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/uplo..._approval___underpass_park_presentation_1.pdf

 

[androiduk]

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[androiduk]

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[Nads Gone Bads]

I really wish they used a different shade of cement for the ground.

 

[PUTOTO]

I wish they just undergrounded that great wall of Canada between the barbaric Great Lake and civilized city of Toronto first.

Unlike the great wall of China, it is simply ugly and horrible monster which creates a lot of uncomfortable noise and direct pollution no matter how hard people try to make it "pretty".