Ford's not a visionary, he's a short-sighted idiot. I was down at Sugar Beach yesterday. There are billions of dollars worth of condo development going up which will make use of that little park. If anything, the city should be investing more money along the lakefront, putting in more all-season parkettes and alternatives to the concrete landscape for the citizens, the taxpayers, the folks who will be moving into that area.
bingo - of all the things to praise Ford for, vision is bottom of the list. Coming out of a recession, I can definitely see why some people like the idea of a belt-tightener. I can also see why people appreciate the 'retail politician' aspect that makes previously ignored or marginalized people feel respected and included.
but as a 'leader,' Ford is just a walking balance sheet. I literally have
no idea what Ford's vision for the city is, after nearly 4 years in power. I know he wants to cut taxes, I guess, but which ones? Why? To what end? Are there things he's willing to pay for? What is fat and what is meat, when he's cutting? What if two similar taxes are side-by-side and we can only cut one - which would he prefer? What does Ford want this city to look like in 5, 10, 50 years? We have no idea (though I think some people might project onto him.)
I've said it before: a group of highschool math students could balance the city's books - it's not complicated. The complicated part is the vision: is laying out a plan for how you want the city to be, and a road map to get there. That means clearly spelling out what's important, making tough choices, taking a stand, and balancing tactics with strategy. He's done none of that, ever.
I'll hear people out if they want to applaud him for bringing discipline to city hall spending, or for engaging at the grass-roots - especially at the margins. But to describe him as visionary, in any way, tells me that you're not ready to be taken seriously at all.
