[gabe]

Ford simply finds it more helpful to himself to make us pay more than to face the unions himself.

 

[Eug]

Yeah, it does completely sidestep the issue of union busting by Ford directly. He grandstands for the in-house supporters, and at the same time protects himself from what Miller had to go through with his near-capitulation to the union.

That said, if Bob Kinnear was against the essential service designation, there had to be something good about it.

 

[gristle]

What some people are not getting is that "essential service" will have to be negotiated. This just might likely end up being rush hour service only. A strike with essential services in place could then last for months.

In the future, when taxes inevitably go up, they will hit property owners the hardest (rental property owners pass the cost onto renters). The purpose of the so called "car tax" was to reduce the city's excessive dependence on property taxes. If you live in a part of town with high property valuation (particularly downtown), you will get nailed. At the same time, suburban residents - who are more likely to drive cars - will see a much smaller tax impact.

 

[adma]

One interesting detail lost in the shuffle: that Mike Layton's censure motion against Maclean's *passed*--wonder if suburban councillors w/"Asian" constituents made the diff...

 

[toto]

I think Ford's ultimate goal is privatization of the TTC. Which basically means, that non-profitable routes will be discontinued. Goodbye most middle suburb bus routes.

 

[ReiwaMagi]

He SHOULD privatize the TTC. Hong Kong, and several companies in Japan have done it and they're making money out of it. Also, do you see Hong Kong cancelling routes due to privatization? NO! Also, they're super efficient and modern.

 

[Bogtrotter]

Both countries are very densely populated with a strong mass transit culture in place, it's an easier sell there. I would expect Ford to cut any weak routes judging from the mr. fix-it style of leadership that he is promoting. Kind of reminds me of Harris during the so-called 'common sense' revolution, and we all know how that turned out.

 

[GraphicMatt]

One interesting detail lost in the shuffle: that Mike Layton's censure motion against Maclean's *passed*--wonder if suburban councillors w/"Asian" constituents made the diff...

All the councillors assumed the meeting would be extended into today (Friday) but then Nunziata got all motivated to finish off the agenda. Literally everyone just wanted to go home. When Layton got up to speak on the motion, people yelled "DON'T!" and then just voted for it so the meeting would end.

I guess it was the best possible outcome.

 

[Irishmonk]

I think Ford's ultimate goal is privatization of the TTC. Which basically means, that non-profitable routes will be discontinued. Goodbye most middle suburb bus routes.

Will. Never. Happen. The only profitable roots are in the inner city. Rob Ford's support base--clueless suburbanites--aren't dumb enough to support the end of public transit in their own vicinity.

 

[Asterix]

Hong Kong, and several companies in Japan have done it and they're making money out of it

Hong Kong, not only has significant density advantages, but the profit their metro system makes is due to its commercial real estate holdings, not the running of the transit system itself. That'd be like putting the TTC under Microsoft and saying it is profitable because M$ as a whole is profitable.

 

[nfitz]

One interesting detail lost in the shuffle: that Mike Layton's censure motion against Maclean's *passed*--wonder if suburban councillors w/"Asian" constituents made the diff...

Yes, that was interesting. Looks like the executive committee voted against it, and everyone else voted for it. Might be a sign of thing to come if Ford starts going down some of the weirder paths he has talked about - such as eliminating off-peak transit.

 

[nfitz]

All the councillors assumed the meeting would be extended into today (Friday) but then Nunziata got all motivated to finish off the agenda. Literally everyone just wanted to go home. When Layton got up to speak on the motion, people yelled "DON'T!" and then just voted for it so the meeting would end.

Maybe there is something to this not feeding them ...

I often see this with private meetings I attend, both following Roberts rules and more informally. Everyone get's wound up about the first major issue and debates it to death, and everything else just slides through as the hour grows late.

 

[CDL.TO]

Hong Kong, not only has significant density advantages, but the profit their metro system makes is due to its commercial real estate holdings, not the running of the transit system itself. That'd be like putting the TTC under Microsoft and saying it is profitable because M$ as a whole is profitable.

Not true. I used to share this view as well, but if you go look at their financial statements you'll see that their transit operations are profitable independent of their real estate holdings.

I think the interesting thing to note about the Hong Kong system is the "subway"-like system (not including the higher-speed, longer distance lines) is only around 70 km in length, the same size as Toronto's system. This is with a higher population and far, far more dense urban form.

 

[gabe]

Keep the TTC public! privatizing will cause more harm than good.

 

[Tewder]

Both countries are very densely populated with a strong mass transit culture in place, it's an easier sell there. I would expect Ford to cut any weak routes judging from the mr. fix-it style of leadership that he is promoting. Kind of reminds me of Harris during the so-called 'common sense' revolution, and we all know how that turned out.

.. saved the province from going broke after the NDP?