Freezing Taxes Is Not The Answer

You can't run an effective business if your prices don't reflect changes in the economy unless you control your costs and Miller and his leftist allies on city council has not done that......they have increased staff, refuses to look at more effective ways to provide city services, have caved in continually to demands of city employees and the list goes on and on.

We'll rein in taxes: Candidates

Pitfield, LeDrew attack mayor

By ROB GRANATSTEIN, CITY HALL BUREAU

Taxes don't need to rise every year, two mayoralty candidates said last night.

Jane Pitfield and Stephen LeDrew said in a debate at the Etobicoke Civic Centre that there is money in the city's $7.6-billion budget and the automatic 3% tax increase shouldn't be imposed every year.

"I was on the budget for seven years and I still don't know where the money is going," Pitfield said before an overflow audience. She said spending has soared under Mayor David Miller, the city's debt has jumped by $700 million while $5.7 million has been spent on planting flowers.

LeDrew promises a tax freeze for the first year if he's elected.

"City council has been spending, spending, spending and service has been going down every year. The TTC is making some bad decisions."

"Those numbers don't add up," Mayor David Miller said after the debate. "You cannot cut business taxes, freeze residential taxes, take over the school board deficit and increase spending on things like police. "It's just impossible," Miller said.