[W. K. Lis]

...

While the shortage of municipal revenue could be more sensibly addressed by raising property tax for operating needs; and imposing tolls on the DVP/Gardiner for capital needs.

It is forbidden, by order of the Ontario government, that Toronto cannot use their own sales taxes or income taxes.

From link.

New York City, NY

State sales tax: 4%​

​

Local sales tax: 4.875%​

​

Total sales tax: 8.875%​

​

Top state income tax rate: 8.82%​

​

Top local income tax rate: 3.88%​

​

Total top income tax rate: 12.7%​

Los Angeles, CA

State sales tax: 7.25%​

​

Local sales tax: 2.25%​

​

Total sales tax: 9.5%​

​

State top income tax rate: 13.3%​

​

Local top income tax rate: 0%​

​

Total top income tax rate: 13.3%​

Chicago, IL

State sales tax: 6.25%​

​

Local sales tax: 4%​

​

Total sales tax: 10.25%​

​

State top income tax rate: 4.95%​

​

Local top income tax rate: 0%​

​

Total top income tax rate: 4.95%​

 

[zang]

It is forbidden, by order of the Ontario government, that Toronto cannot use their own sales taxes or income taxes.

​

​

INTERIOR; LIVING ROOM IN QUEENS PARK​

​

A provincial father talks to his child, who has recently turned 16. The child has grown up well, gets good grades in school and helps support the family, always giving more than they take in return.​

​

ONTARIO
Your mother and I have decided you've shown us in spades that you're responsible enough to have these.

​

A pair of car keys hung on a tag marked "City of Toronto Act" are tossed slow motion into the hands of the grateful teenager.​

​

ONTARIO
Now, there are some rules we expect you to follow—

TEENAGER
Of course! Anything, Dad!

ONTARIO
You must always ensure the tires are full of air and the car stays clean…

TEENAGER
No problem!

ONTARIO
…And the car must always return full of gas.

Even if it was empty when you took it…

TEENAGER
Oh… Okay… I can do that I guess.

ONTARIO
…But the most important rule is this:

You must never drive on paving stones or dirt roads…

TEENAGER
Uh, alright.

ONTARIO
…or anything made of…

TEENAGER
[LOOKS VISIBLY WORRIED]
?

ONTARIO
…concrete…

TEENAGER
–!

ONTARIO
…or asphalt.

We know you're gonna be responsible and show us the wonderful young adult you are.

[RUFFLES TEENAGER'S HAIR]
Have a blast!​

 

[W. K. Lis]

​

​

INTERIOR; LIVING ROOM IN QUEENS PARK​

​

A provincial father talks to his child, who has recently turned 16. The child has grown up well, gets good grades in school and helps support the family, always giving more than they take in return.​

​

ONTARIO
Your mother and I have decided you've shown us in spades that you're responsible enough to have these.

​

A pair of car keys hung on a tag marked "City of Toronto Act" are tossed slow motion into the hands of the grateful teenager.​

​

ONTARIO
Now, there are some rules we expect you to follow—

TEENAGER
Of course! Anything, Dad!

ONTARIO
You must always ensure the tires are full of air and the car stays clean…

TEENAGER
No problem!

ONTARIO
…And the car must always return full of gas.

Even if it was empty when you took it…

TEENAGER
Oh… Okay… I can do that I guess.

ONTARIO
…But the most important rule is this:

You must never drive on paving stones or dirt roads…

TEENAGER
Uh, alright.

ONTARIO
…or anything made of…

TEENAGER
[LOOKS VISIBLY WORRIED]
?

ONTARIO
…concrete…

TEENAGER
–!

ONTARIO
…or asphalt.

We know you're gonna be responsible and show us the wonderful young adult you are.

[RUFFLES TEENAGER'S HAIR]
Have a blast!​

You do know that Toronto property taxes pay for the asphalt on the city roads, which includes the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley (driven on for free by the 905ers, since there are no tolls). While gasoline and diesel taxes pay for "some" of the provincial highways (400, 401, QEW, etc.), they are also used by electric vehicles, which don't pay a fuel tax (paid by general revenue, the licence fees only pay for the administration of the licences).

 

[zang]

You do know that Toronto property taxes pay for the asphalt on the city roads, which includes the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley (driven on for free by the 905ers, since there are no tolls). While gasoline and diesel taxes pay for "some" of the provincial highways (400, 401, QEW, etc.), they are also used by electric vehicles, which don't pay a fuel tax (paid by general revenue, the licence fees only pay for the administration of the licences).

It was a coming-of-age growth metaphor for being given token (but relatively useless) power, and not to be taken literally as comment on road taxation.

 

[TrickyRicky]

Some of these taxes, fees, credits make perfect logical sense in isolation as a closed loop. The vacant home tax is an example. The issue is that taken as a whole they plug into an absurd system. New program -> new compliance costs -> new problems -> new special case solutions to new problems -> new systemic work-arounds etc.

This proliferation creates unnecessary expansion of government, fosters rule-breaking, is inflationary, is unproductive, and may even be anti-progressive as the most powerful win market share.

 

[afransen]

You do know that Toronto property taxes pay for the asphalt on the city roads, which includes the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley (driven on for free by the 905ers, since there are no tolls). While gasoline and diesel taxes pay for "some" of the provincial highways (400, 401, QEW, etc.), they are also used by electric vehicles, which don't pay a fuel tax (paid by general revenue, the licence fees only pay for the administration of the licences).

I think you missed what he was trying to say.

 

[Johnny Au]

​

​

INTERIOR; LIVING ROOM IN QUEENS PARK​

​

A provincial father talks to his child, who has recently turned 16. The child has grown up well, gets good grades in school and helps support the family, always giving more than they take in return.​

​

ONTARIO
Your mother and I have decided you've shown us in spades that you're responsible enough to have these.

​

A pair of car keys hung on a tag marked "City of Toronto Act" are tossed slow motion into the hands of the grateful teenager.​

​

ONTARIO
Now, there are some rules we expect you to follow—

TEENAGER
Of course! Anything, Dad!

ONTARIO
You must always ensure the tires are full of air and the car stays clean…

TEENAGER
No problem!

ONTARIO
…And the car must always return full of gas.

Even if it was empty when you took it…

TEENAGER
Oh… Okay… I can do that I guess.

ONTARIO
…But the most important rule is this:

You must never drive on paving stones or dirt roads…

TEENAGER
Uh, alright.

ONTARIO
…or anything made of…

TEENAGER
[LOOKS VISIBLY WORRIED]
?

ONTARIO
…concrete…

TEENAGER
–!

ONTARIO
…or asphalt.

We know you're gonna be responsible and show us the wonderful young adult you are.

[RUFFLES TEENAGER'S HAIR]
Have a blast!​

TEENAGER
What about driving on grass or Astroturf?

ONTARIO
Of course, you can!​

 

[Northern Light]

There's been something of a Kerfuffle due to Brian Johnston, head of Create TO; pitching 'affordable rental' as a staff/family perk for CreateTO.

The letter he circulated..........to the entire Board no less...................very non-nonchalantly discloses it all.

Source:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1334530645910036480

 

[DSC]

What's so unnerving about his email is that he appeared to think this kind of thing ("only for direct employees of CreateTO")was OK. Do these people not get a ethics course when appointed?

 

[W. K. Lis]

What's so unnerving about his email is that he appeared to think this kind of thing ("only for direct employees of CreateTC")was OK. Do these people not get a ethics course when appointed?

Maybe they're being "transparent" about this kind of thing?

 

[afransen]

Casual corruption.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

What's so unnerving about his email is that he appeared to think this kind of thing ("only for direct employees of CreateTO")was OK. Do these people not get a ethics course when appointed?

The best part - he is hired from the private sector *ahem - it begs for a quick search as to where - ahem*.

Brian Johnston | Sienna Living

For investors, Sienna Senior Living balances attractive growth potential with the stability of a $0.90 per share annualized dividend.

www.siennaliving.ca

One shouldn't require an ethics course for this.

AoD

 

[DSC]

The Queen & Portland bar that was open illegally on the weekend has now been named.

 

[PinkLucy]

Good name

 

[Johnny Au]

Good name

That restaurant really wants to tempt fate by naming itself in such a way to bar karma from affecting it.

Karma will strike Bar Karma hard.