[freshcutgrass]

Mr. Ford’s was the only dissenting vote against a motion reinstating $100,000 in provincial funds for syphilis and HIV screening – a budgetary addition that won’t cost the city anything.

“Everyone says it’s provincial money,” Mr. Ford said when asked why he voted against the funds. “No. It’s taxpayers’ money. So, you know what? In the big picture, they say it doesn’t cost the city a dime. Well, it costs people money. … There’s many reasons why.”

I'm sure I'm missing something here...but how could anyone view funding for screening of communicable diseases as being a waste of taxpayers money?

 

[jje1000]

Because they're not taxpayers, but SOCIALIST FREELOADERS sucking at the teats of the CIVILIZED, TAXPAYING class of Toronto, thus denying OUR CHILDREN the RIGHT to a BRIGHT, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FUTURE. Party's over, lefties- we're taking back control of OUR city.

Anyways, some more numbers, this time from BlogTO.

$13.326 billion — Total size of the 2011 budget (Operating, Capital and Rate Supported Services).

$370 million — One-time reserves used to help balance the budget.

$57 million — The amount of efficiencies (or gravy) found to help balance the 2011 books.

$3 million — The cost of external consultants who will comb the City's finances in an effort to address next year's hole.

The hole remains at $774-million for 2012.

http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/02/2011_toronto_budget_roundup_and_reaction/

57 Million? Surely they can do better! I demand that all city employees dedicate all 24 hours of their lives towards combing out inefficiencies in our budget- I'm pretty sure that if we look enough, we'll hit the jackpot.

 

[lafard]

Even if they cut many programs, there will not be $750 million in savings, unless they gut capital spending.

I expect 2012 will bring a 10%+ tax hike.

 

[jje1000]

If that 10% tax hike also applies to commercial properties, I expect Glen's head to literally explode.

 

[freshcutgrass]

Because they're not taxpayers, but SOCIALIST FREELOADERS sucking at the teats of the CIVILIZED, TAXPAYING class of Toronto, thus denying OUR CHILDREN the RIGHT to a BRIGHT, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FUTURE

Focusing strictly on the "fiscally responsible" bit....I would think early detection and prevention of further infection would save the health care system more than the 100 grand? This does not stop you from still thinking of them as sub-human.

If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn’t get AIDS probably, that’s bottom line...Rob Ford

Is that really the bottom line?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

http://www.thestar.com/news/toronto...city-to-spend-3m-on-consultants?bn=1#comments


I cannot believe this! Toronto is a mess!

 

[nfitz]

Hiring consultants is fine. But how much are they charging? $3 million is a massive contract.

If they are charging $200 per hour ($1,600 per day), then that comes to over 15,000 hours of work (it's hard to imagine any other expenses other than Labour and paper). Even with 40-hour weeks that's almost 8 person-years of labour. That's a HUGE contract.

When the city issues the RFP for this, it will be an interesting read ... cause we all know that Ford is going to tender this properly, right?

 

[GraphicMatt]

The tender is going to be screwed up now that bidders know how much the city has to spend. All the proposals are going to come back at around 3 million dollars.

 

[SlickFranky]

The tender is going to be screwed up now that bidders know how much the city has to spend. All the proposals are going to come back at around 3 million dollars.

I'll do it for $2.9M !

 

[W. K. Lis]

I'll do it for $2.9M !

I bid $2,800,001.

 

[Silence&Motion]

It's my understanding that the city has been hiring outside consultants for years to review various departments and recommend cost-saving measures. What almost always happens is the consultants recommend cuts that the councillors are unwilling to make. This process results in a report that tells us exactly what we already knew, and nothing happens except that a bunch of consultants get paid.

 

[SlickFranky]

Except this time, the guy looking for the report is also looking for an expert-approved list of things that should be cut.

 

[jje1000]

Ford's Talking Points!

http://toronto.openfile.ca/blog/2011/rob-fords-budget-talking-points

Interesting thing is that though Miler also had them, he distributed them to all council members, unlike Ford, who distributes them only to his clique.

"By applying all accumulated surpluses to the 2011 budget, we unmasked the true financial condition for all to see. The 2012 budget forecast reflects the true gap between the city's revenues and spending habits."

Spider- I want your perspective on this, since it's always helpful to see things from both sides.

 

[allabootmatt]

My favorite element of the Ford budget spin has to be taking credit for 66 million dollars in 'savings,' when in fact 64 million of that figure is the elimination of the land transfer tax (ie a massive reduction in City revenue), with the remainder made up of penny-ante cuts to lunch tabs and so on. Have these guys ever read an income statement?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Monday, February 28, 2011 is the last date to get rebates for your new low-flush toilets. Click on this link for the PDF application form. Interesting that the city website does not even mention that little update. Rob Ford's little clique is hoping we'll all forget to apply before it is too late.