Miller Admits Inability To Handle Complexity Of Business

At least on these simple points;

• Zero based budgeting at city hall;
• Value-for-money audits;
• Streamlining red tape;
• Ending so called 'union only' contract provisions; and
• Publishing information about government procurement and contracts
  

Miller and opponents differ in business survey

CTV.ca News Staff

Sixteen questions posed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business paint a picture of where Toronto's three top mayoral candidates stand on business issues.

In broad terms, both Jane Pitfield and Stephen LeDrew agree with all 16 points raised by the CFIB, while incumbent David Miller said the survey oversimplified "complex issues."

Questions in the survey covered the following areas:

• Property taxes;
• Local spending;
• Regulations;
• Fees and Charges; and
• Procurement.

At the heart of the CFIB's survey is concern over the so-called business tax ratio. In other words, the difference between tax rates on commercial properties and residential properties.

Currently businesses in Toronto pay rates up to four times higher than homeowners.

Pitfield has promised to make speedy changes. As mayor she will ramp up the current pace of tax change to complete it in five years.

LeDrew has promised to freeze residential taxes during his first year in office. After that he would fight Queen's Park to reduce the taxes it imposes on Toronto businesses.

Click on Pitfield or LeDrew to see their survey responses

Miller says he will stick with the city's current 15-year plan and criticizes the CFIB survey.

"Some of the questions on this survey oversimplify complex issues," Miller told the CFIB in neatly typed notes attached to his survey response.

"Our plan to reduce the business tax ratio each year for the 15, and accelerate this for small businesses is realistic, affordable, and achievable. Doing it faster will cost hundreds of millions of dollars that the city just doesn't have."

By placing checkmarks next to 'Yes' for each survey question, Pitfield and LeDrew agreed to several measures, including:

• Zero based budgeting at city hall;
• Value-for-money audits;
• Streamlining red tape;
• Ending so called 'union only' contract provisions; and
• Publishing information about government procurement and contracts.

Miller sometimes simply said no and on several occasions gave qualified responses, referring to his notes in the comments section.

Click on David Miller to see his survey responses

Many of the CFIB's concerns stem from an October 2006 study titled 'Overtaxing Peter to subsidize Paul.'

The CFIB study made several recommendations for the entire province to reduce the reliance of governments on business taxes, increase transparency of property taxation and restore "fundamental fairness to business property taxation."

The same survey questions have been sent to candidates running for mayor in other Ontario cities, including Brantford, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Ottawa and more.

Survey results by city can be viewed by visiting the CFIB website.