Starting Down The Trail Of Broken Promises

By Mayor Miller and his cohorts. Like his new broom promise it appears that transparency at City Hall is being put in the closet along with the broom. How can any public official declare secret meetings are okay.

Secret budget meeting defended
By ZEN RURYK

Charges that a committee met improperly in secret to look at Toronto's water rate were dismissed yesterday by Toronto budget chairman Shelley Carroll.

The budget committee met privately one day last week where the proposed increase to the city's water rate was a topic of discussion. While the recommended increase is 9%, an option that called for a 12% hike came up while they met behind closed doors.

Carroll yesterday said that the meeting fell within provincial rules for holding private huddles.

"We are allowed to meet in private for the purpose of education and training," Carroll said.

But Councillor David Shiner complained that those at last week's meeting overstepped their bounds.

"You can't say that educational purposes is now briefing committee members on budgets," he argued. "That's definitely not permitted under the municipal act."

The budget committee met publicly yesterday to review the proposed 9% water rate hike. It's members will decide Friday whether to adopt the increase.

If approved, the average annual residential water bill will go up by $40 -- from $429 to $469. City council will have the final say next month.