[BobBob]

Gladly paying higher taxes is totally different from gladly donating extra.

Higher taxes means that everyone contributes more, so we can ideally have better stuff.
Donating means that you are paying more so others can ultimately pay less.

 

[GraphicMatt]

Lots of people are willing to pay more for various products, but they probably won't if no one bothers to raise the price.

 

[nfitz]

This was interesting because it is a far cry from the 1000s of Torontonians who said they would gladly pay higher taxes to prevent Mayor Ford's service cuts. I really want to know if the majority of people in this city seriously want to pay higher taxes?

When were they given the opportunity? The first tax bill since the budget only landed in my mailbox yesterday ... and I didn't off-hand notice anywhere on it to pay the extra.

 

[Ice_Burn]

When were they given the opportunity? The first tax bill since the budget only landed in my mailbox yesterday ... and I didn't off-hand notice anywhere on it to pay the extra.

I got a form with my bill last time, but it seemed so hastily thrown-together that I didn't have any confidence that my extra money would go where I wanted it to.

 

[Automation Gallery]

I didn't have any confidence that my extra money would go where I wanted it to.

I guess the same said for the other 99.9999% residential taxpayers of Toronto

 

[adma]

Y'know, upon reading this, I thought to myself: "hey, this is who Team Ford would have running against Joel Matlow".

Which leaves me wondering, come 2014: if Ford doesn't defeat himself, his slate of bozos might do that dirty work for him by association...

 

[W. K. Lis]

I got a form with my bill last time, but it seemed so hastily thrown-together that I didn't have any confidence that my extra money would go where I wanted it to.

See this link about the Voluntary Contribution Option. Can't see where you can download the form needed if you misplaced the original or didn't get one.

 

[ShonTron]

How many neocons contribute to the Ontario Opportunities Fund to reduce the number of tax spending going to debt servicing?

Sorry, but voluntary government contributions just don't work. Just another Sun red herring.

 

[nfitz]

See this link about the Voluntary Contribution Option. Can't see where you can download the form needed if you misplaced the original or didn't get one.

So you're supposted to write a separate cheque, and put it in the envelope with the other cheques?

Do people still send their taxes in by cheque? Really? I've been paying these type of bills in a banking machine for a quarter century or so ... and on-line these days. But to make a voluntary contribution, you have to mail in a cheque, or go in person to find a cashier? Good grief, does City of Toronto still pay their employees cash every Thursday?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Doug Ford says city is "bankrupt"

See this link and this link.

Said Councillor Ford, according to the Toronto Sun:

“I know you don’t like the word bankrupt but when you owe billions of dollars more than what you’re taking in — in the private sector — you’re bankrupt."

• Toronto's "net debt", that is it's debt minus the city's "sinking fund", a reserve used to pay the debt: $2.6 billion
• Toronto's revenues, as of 2011: $7.2 billion.

Toronto's revenue ($7.2 billion) is just less than three times its debt level ($2.6 billion). So Toronto does not "owe billions of dollars more than what [it's] taking in."

 

[PinkLucy]

Ford math

Hmm, the bloom is coming off the Etobicoke rose: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...et-after-toronto-star-reporter-confrontation/

“I don’t think it’s mayorly to be doing that type of stuff. It just seems like the old Rob Ford, getting into some kind of trouble.”

Did they think becoming Mayor would suddenly keep him out of trouble?

 

[nfitz]

The degree of complete incompetence in that family is astounding. I struggle to understand how Deco Labels and Tags remains profitable.

 

[MetroMan]

Ford math

Hmm, the bloom is coming off the Etobicoke rose: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...et-after-toronto-star-reporter-confrontation/

What caught my eye in this poll is that it shows John Tory convincingly beating Ford. I'm centre/left on the political spectrum but I would vote for Tory. I think that a lot of Conservatives embarrassed by Ford and afraid of his damage to their brand would quickly jump behind John Tory. He's a reasonable progressive conservative and I think our best shot at ridding this city of Ford and his bizarro world of politics in Toronto.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

What caught my eye in this poll is that it shows John Tory convincingly beating Ford. I'm centre/left on the political spectrum but I would vote for Tory. I think that a lot of Conservatives embarrassed by Ford and afraid of his damage to their brand would quickly jump behind John Tory. He's a reasonable progressive conservative and I think our best shot at ridding this city of Ford and his bizarro world of politics in Toronto.

Any chance Tory could run a campaign without shooting himself in the foot? Maybe the radio gig will have taught him something? Remember, we have Ford for a mayor because his handlers run a solid campaign with a candidate who was really not allowed to speak publicly. They will try that gambit again. Tory has yet to show that he can keep himself on message.

 

[Ice_Burn]

Any chance Tory could run a campaign without shooting himself in the foot?

Not sure, as I've always found that Tory couldn't get elected to a PTA position, but our standards for gaffes have to be far lower after Ford.