[Cobra]

Josh Matlow just sent this out in his Newsletter. Well said!

Leadership on Housing and Transit Begins by Setting the Right Priorities

I'm very concerned about how, while the mayor understandably calls on the Province for adequate funding for the significant transit and housing shortfalls in Toronto, I believe there have been decisions made at city hall that have not demonstrated thoughtful or competent management of these priorities from either a financial or social and urban planning policy perspective. Below is a video of a portion of my comments about this during last week's city council meeting while we were debating the closure of TCHC homes.

That's another reason why I truly dislike him. Now's not the time to play politics, Toronto needs more, much more from the province. Talk about knowing your prioritis...oh Matlow

 

[Cobra]

The province put themselves in a corner when they refused Road tolls. PC are worst by planning to deny Toronto the right to use hotel taxes and real estate taxes. If you don't give Toronto the means to raise money outside of property taxes, then pay up or shut up about the mayor informing his constituent about how the province is playing politics on the back of the city.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

The province put themselves in a corner when they refused Road tolls. PC are worst by planning to deny Toronto the right to use hotel taxes and real estate taxes. If you don't give Toronto the means to raise money outside of property taxes, then pay up or shut up about the mayor informing his constituent about how the province is playing politics on the back of the city.

Except the mayor was only too happy to play politics in his time. You are who you make buddies with. So what's JT suggesting? That we should pressure the Liberals to pay up, or we'll vote en masse for a party with no intention of paying up, or a party that is ready to chase the populist vote (e.g. where they stand on the Gardiner toll)? Some choice, that.

AoD

 

[Cobra]

Except the mayor was only too happy to play politics in his time. You are who you make buddies with.

AoD

I don't disagree with you at all, and Tory will be judged on that at the appropriate time, however, that doesn't diminish the Province obligations to Toronto. The province will (hopefully) be judge on that.

I don't like my Premier talking like Toronto is just another Ontario city just to secure votes outside of the city borders. When will we ever get a Premier that makes the rest of the province understand that Toronto actually isn't like all the other cities?

That's what Coderre did for Montreal and the Premier follows through on that. Montreal is the economical heart of Quebec and they don't play divisive politics on that front.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I don't disagree with you at all, and Tory will be judged on that at the appropriate time, however, that doesn't diminish the Province obligations to Toronto.

I don't think the province cared all that much about "obligations" for awhile. They're a bunch of transactionalists.

AoD

 

[Cobra]

I don't think the province cared all that much about "obligations" for awhile. They're a bunch of transactionalists.

AoD

hence my eagerness to give the NDP a chance pending their transit plan.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

hence my eagerness to give the NDP a chance pending their transit plan.

Recall where the NDP stands on tolling the Gardiner Why would I ever want to support a populist party pretending to be left with no record of competence in execution?

AoD

 

[Cobra]

Recall where the NDP stands on tolling the Gardiner Why would I ever want to support a populist party pretending to be left with no record of competence in execution?

AoD

At least she was proposing to restore the TTC subsidy in return (Just TTC or all transit companies?)

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

At least she was proposing to restore the TTC subsidy in return (Just TTC or all transit companies?)

Because that's a plus for the union workers, above all else. It's the same stance for health and education.

AoD

 

[Cobra]

Because that's a plus for the union workers, above all else. It's the same stance for health and education.

AoD

I can see we diverge in opinion. The Liberals have a lot of convincing to do to win the next election and there's no way I vote Wynne. I highly recommend they find a new leader, vision and direction...and fast

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I can see we diverge in opinion. The Liberals have a lot of convincing to do to win the next election and there's no way I vote Wynne. I highly recommend they find a new leader, vision and direction...and fast

I am not sure if it is a Wynne problem (though she is symbolic of such) but a party problem - one that unfortunately appears to be just as present amongst the other parties.

AoD

 

[Cobra]

I am not sure if it is a Wynne problem (though she is symbolic of such) but a party problem - one that unfortunately appears to be just as present amongst the other parties.

AoD

Can Urbantoronto start it's own party?
The Block Quebecois was able to win the status of official opposition with only Quebec, let's aim for the Toronto seats and build the city, the right way!

 

[jje1000]

OPP probing suspected Toronto city bid rigging

Ontario Provincial Police officers are investigating suspicions that companies rigged bids for City of Toronto paving contracts to drive up profits while costing taxpayers millions of dollars, the Star has learned.

The allegations were uncovered by city auditor general Beverly Romeo-Beehler, whose briefing to city councillors Thursday left many alarmed by warnings of lax internal controls and predicting her ongoing probe will unearth more evidence of possible corruption.

“I'm concerned that this is the tip of a slippery slope,” said Councillor Josh Matlow, adding that signs of “fraudulent and insidious behaviour both externally and internally is just the beginning of this story, not the end.”

Romeo-Beehler identified at least $2.5 million in needless spending on her small sample of contracts, but said corruption probes including Quebec’s Charbonneau inquiry suggest uncompetitive bidding could add as much as 30 per cent to a government’s contract costs. Toronto spends $1 billion per year on construction.

City manager Peter Wallace said the audit exposed a major systemic failure within the city bureaucracy to identify possible corruption. He agreed with Romeo-Beehler that four districts within the transportation departments operated like “empires,” with their own rules and practices for paving jobs and inspections of them.

The bureaucracy failed to properly centralize after the 1998 amalgamation, Wallace said, adding in unusually frank terms that corporate transformation to protect taxpayers’ interests will be difficult and he’ll need council’s support plus money for technology and talent.

“Does anyone in this (council) chamber know how many internal auditors there are? I think it's about half a dozen. That's an absolute joke and that should never have existed,” Wallace told councillors and Mayor John Tory.

“We need your support to invest in management, your support to invest in technology, your support to change things and not just to reflect back that what was good enough last year is good enough this year.”

Tory and his predecessor Rob Ford focused on budget austerity and low tax hikes. Tory this year convinced council to demand every department try to cut 2.6 per cent of spending, which triggered job cuts and purchasing delays.

Wallace agreed with Councillor Gord Perks that such frugality can cost taxpayers money in the long run.

“Two rules that reinforce the status quo in a negative way,” Wallace said, “are across-the-board targets and a focus on (the employee) head count.”

https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...obing-suspected-toronto-city-bid-rigging.html

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Because that's a plus for the union workers, above all else. It's the same stance for health and education.

AoD

So if the NDP propose boosting funding for public programs, we're supposed to write it off as them benefiting their union buddies? But if the Liberals propose the same, its A-OK?

 

[Cobra]