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xizhimen

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I'm new to Ward 19, but even as a new arrival, Joe Pantalone has me flabergasted at evey turn.

First, the interim control bylaw on Ossington. Whatever its worth, he seems to have gone about it the wrong way, passing the bylaw and then seeking community feedback after the fact. More to the point, he didn't seem all too interested in community feedback: not only was there no information about the relevant meeting on his website or in an Adam Vaughn-style email newsletter (great example of keeping residents informed in a very detailed way) but at the meeting itself he had the gall to yell at some of the residents who disagreed with his handling of the issue.

Second, he seems to have tried something similar on Harbord, sneaking a motion into council to dissaprove of Ici Bistro's liquor licence application, and then speaking very publicaly against the application and other businesses on Harbord (Sam James Coffee Bar).

No doubt, a lot of this has to do with the king-in-their-ward thing that goes on at City Hall, but there's more, I think, in Pantalone's style that makes his actions disagreeable, whether or not they're right.

Anyone else agree - any long-time residents have any thoughts about the councillor? Also, any word on whether there'll be any challengers for his seat in 2010?
 
i'd put him in the italian quasi-mafioso category. literally. do a bit of research and put two and two together...

:eek:
 
yin_yang said:
i'd put him in the italian quasi-mafioso category. literally. do a bit of research and put two and two together...

:eek:
Click to expand...


Naw, too fuzzy-wuzzy lefty for that. Locally speaking, it's Tony Ianno types for whom the "italian quasi-mafioso" stereotype more pertains...
 
xizhimen said:
I'm new to Ward 19, but even as a new arrival, Joe Pantalone has me flabergasted at evey turn.

First, the interim control bylaw on Ossington. Whatever its worth, he seems to have gone about it the wrong way, passing the bylaw and then seeking community feedback after the fact. More to the point, he didn't seem all too interested in community feedback: not only was there no information about the relevant meeting on his website or in an Adam Vaughn-style email newsletter (great example of keeping residents informed in a very detailed way) but at the meeting itself he had the gall to yell at some of the residents who disagreed with his handling of the issue.

Second, he seems to have tried something similar on Harbord, sneaking a motion into council to dissaprove of Ici Bistro's liquor licence application, and then speaking very publicaly against the application and other businesses on Harbord (Sam James Coffee Bar).

No doubt, a lot of this has to do with the king-in-their-ward thing that goes on at City Hall, but there's more, I think, in Pantalone's style that makes his actions disagreeable, whether or not they're right.

Anyone else agree - any long-time residents have any thoughts about the councillor? Also, any word on whether there'll be any challengers for his seat in 2010?
Click to expand...

As part of Section 38 of the Planning Act, the city is allowed to enact an interim zoning bylaw without any notice or meetings. However, they are required after the fact to write a report that would dictate the future of the area. Hence, they're now consulting with the public. It's actually standard procedure for interim zoning bylaws and happens all over, not just in Toronto.
 
Fair enough.

Still, there was something about both the Ossington bylaw and the business surrounding Sam James/Ici Bistro that struck me as being a tad vindictive, like Pantalone was striking back for some reason. His comments in the papers seem to suggest that he had some class of score to settle, and at the Ossington meeting he was, at times, noticeably irate.

What's more, even if the interim control bylaw is fair game, there's been nothing on the follow-up consultation side.
 
adma said:
Naw, too fuzzy-wuzzy lefty for that. Locally speaking, it's Tony Ianno types for whom the "italian quasi-mafioso" stereotype more pertains...
Click to expand...
In terms of actual connections perhaps; but in terms of general character? Not even the mayor dares to cross Pantalone!
 
Probably more "organized labour union goons" than "italian quasi-mafioso" in this case. Yeah, I know, those stereotypes are exceptionally cheap and borderline bigoted; but, just for the sake of argument...
 
Isn't Pantalone a property owner in the area? Iirc, he and his family own quite a few semi-slummy boarding houses in the area. Perhaps he's concerned his investments will turn into a Brunswick/Bloor nightmare?
 
I'm not going to get into the ethnic stereotyping, but there's something absolutely baffling about Pantalone's behaviour. Maybe it's a traditional lefty's fury at the prospect of gentrification? Maybe he's a teetotaller temperance type? Maybe he's tight with some ultra-hard-line NIMBY group who don't want any type of "entertainment" (i.e. eating and drinking) in their neighbourhood?
 
Heck, I don't even know what ethnicity he is ... though I'm sure I could figure it out if I Googled the surname ... but it hasn't crossed my mind.
 
nfitz, not everything I post is about you and you alone, but the comments about "italian quasi-mafioso" might provide a hint as to your query.
 
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