[King of Kensington]

I agree. Joe is the only sensible candidate running - very refreshing from the Smitherman/Ford/Rossi approach of "David Miller ruined Toronto" - but he sounds a little too much like a bureaucrat defending the status quo (though it's true the status quo would be preferable than Smitherman/Ford/Rossi who would represent a major step backward compared to the Miller years). Still, he needs to be more bold. I think his call for a pedestrian zone on Yonge St. is a good start.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

I think many people support Rob Ford because they know exactly where he is coming from (regardless if they agree with him). Those same supporters are probably scared of Smitherman and cannot stomach a Smitherman-McGuinty alliance that would continue to raises taxes

My friend got kicked off Rob Ford's Facebook page because he did not agree with everything his followers were saying. So silly!

 

[nfitz]

But Fiorito couldn't restrain himself from being petulant and childish. Such amateurish writing ruined the rest of his argument.

That applies to most of his work, unfortunately. So really one would expect anything else.

 

[adma]

MetroMan,

I to was at the debate today. I agree that Ford appeared tired and a little grumpy. My i

Ford : Appeared tired and grumpy. Although he was the only candidate that addressed CFIB members number one issue. That is a promise to lower commercial taxes.

Thomson: Not Bad, though her justification on road tolls came across as ill informed. Namely it is to punish those whom enter the city, not meant for Toronto residents. Not realizing that Toronto is no longer a net importer of labour. No Word on lower commercial taxes.

Rossi: Definitely the most polished of the bunch. Seemed to down play the tunnel, saying he just wants to study it, and only if can be fully supported by tolls. No word on lowering commercial taxes.

Smitherman: Lied about helping protect business in Toronto when he was deputy premier by restricting the city's ability to riase taxes on nonresidential by half the residential increases. This is a bold face lie because prior to the permission to raise commercial taxes, the city was expressly prohibited from doing so.

Pantalone: Bold face liar. He said Toronto reduced the commercial taxes by 3% last year. The reality is they raised them by 1%. From 98-03 there was no increase. Since the time Miller was elected they have increased every year. Joe seem like a nice guy, but he has about as much competency to run the city as a chia pet.

My Score Card reads,

Ford
Rossi
Thomson
Smitherman
Pantalone

That's the most Asperger-y deadly-dull debate report I've ever read.

 

[adma]

I agree. Joe is the only sensible candidate running - very refreshing from the Smitherman/Ford/Rossi approach of "David Miller ruined Toronto" - but he sounds a little too much like a bureaucrat defending the status quo (though it's true the status quo would be preferable than Smitherman/Ford/Rossi who would represent a major step backward compared to the Miller years). Still, he needs to be more bold. I think his call for a pedestrian zone on Yonge St. is a good start.

And I was thinking, when it comes to "impressions", it's the inverse of 2003, where it's Smitherman with the Miller-like passion, and Pantalone with the Hall-like plod...

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

But Fiorito couldn't restrain himself from being petulant and childish. Such amateurish writing ruined the rest of his argument.

Obviously you a superman, a perfect human being, so you can contact the star and write a better article.

 

[King of Kensington]

And I was thinking, when it comes to "impressions", it's the inverse of 2003, where it's Smitherman with the Miller-like passion, and Pantalone with the Hall-like plod...

I guess we'll see soon enough if Smitherman is more Barbara Hall '97 or '03.

 

[adma]

It may depend on the confusing poll-by-poll messages--last weekend's poll seemed to give the Pantalone campaign a boost; yet the present Star poll's 2:1 Smitherman advantage drives things back to square one. All I can say is that, if both stick it out to the end, it won't be as strategically lopsided as '03...

 

[adma]

The Star (which helped Miller get elected the first time) may turn out to be Ford's biggest nightmare. Did anyone else see yesterday's editorial cartoon, in which The Star depicted Ford as liar?

Rob Ford Takes on the Toronto Star

Love the "financial contributation" business.

 

[nfitz]

Wow ... talk about pot calling kettle black. Accusing the Star of bias, and yet Ford was providing cold hard cash to the one columnist in the city who blatantly supporting him. Does this man's hypocrisy know no bounds?

 

[Torontovibe]

Wow ... talk about pot calling kettle black. Accusing the Star of bias, and yet Ford was providing cold hard cash to the one columnist in the city who blatantly supporting him. Does this man's hypocrisy know no bounds?

Hello! We're talking about Ford here. There is no honesty or integrity in this man. He will do whatever he needs to do to win.

 

[archanfel]

Hello! We're talking about Ford here. There is no honesty or integrity in this man. He will do whatever he needs to do to win.

I was thinking the same thing about Smitherman. Agree with him or not, we know where Ford stand. And agree with him or not, we know where David Miller stand. Do we know where Smitherman stand? Does his number add up better than Ford's?

We had the health premium and now electricity price is going up. That's all fine and shine if Smitherman wasn't talking about cleaning up city hall, reining in spending, fighting waste.

 

[jn_12]

I was thinking the same thing about Smitherman. Agree with him or not, we know where Ford stand. And agree with him or not, we know where David Miller stand. Do we know where Smitherman stand? Does his number add up better than Ford's?

We had the health premium and now electricity price is going up. That's all fine and shine if Smitherman wasn't talking about cleaning up city hall, reining in spending, fighting waste.

Well Smitherman hasn't released his numbers yet. They come out next week. Once they come out, you can scrutinize them all you want. (I'm willing to bet they add up better than Ford's though. People have been poking holes in his numbers for weeks).

And what do health premiums (OMG not a tax to help with our health care!) have to do with cleaning up city hall and limiting its spending? Or are you equating health care with new streetcars?

 

[PinkLucy]

Wow ... talk about pot calling kettle black. Accusing the Star of bias, and yet Ford was providing cold hard cash to the one columnist in the city who blatantly supporting him. Does this man's hypocrisy know no bounds?

That's a rhetorical question, right?

 

[W. K. Lis]

We are still in recession. And yet the unions went on strike, while the rest of us may have lost their jobs or did not get raises. The pro-Ford vote is really more an anti-union vote. It also means that Joe Pantalone will not be mayor, too pro-union.

The remaining candidates should go after the anti-union vote, if they want to win. Otherwise, we would have to thank unions for delivering Rob Ford a victory, just like when the unions gave us Mike Harris.