Did We Get Value For Our $7 Million In Council Salaries

A Hall of a year

BY Dale Duncan December 26, 2007 16:12

2007 at city hall will always be remembered as the year of the land transfer tax, that contentious new “revenue tool” that city councillors and the public debated with hair-pulling intensity over the summer leading up to the final, nail-biting vote. But 2007 can, and should, be remembered for more than just tax-talk. May I present you with a month-by-month breakdown of the year that was:

January Then–executive committee member Brian Ashton: “The city’s top three priorities are money, money, money. The city and the mayor face a big challenge to correct this fiscal imbalance. If we fail to do this, our quality of life is going to diminish.”

February Council approves a lobbyist registry. Case Ootes advocates banning panhandling downtown and turning Toronto into a haven for RV tourists.

March TTC Chief Adam Giambrone announces plans for Transit City, a light-rail network that will criss-cross the city, providing much-needed service in Toronto’s suburbs.

May Adam Vaughan proposes charging clubs in the Entertainment District for lining up their rowdy patrons on city-owned sidewalks. City council approves a 20-year contract with Astral Media, an advertising company that will provide Toronto with free benches, bus shelters, recycling bins and other amenities in exchange for advertising space.

June The city adopts a new pay-according-to-the-size-of-the-bin-you-take-to-the-curb garbage collection system.

July Council defers voting on the land-transfer and vehicle registration taxes until Oct. 22. “I think it sends a clear message that there is now a hole in that well-guarded and cemented Fortress Miller,” Councillor Michael Thompson tells the Toronto Star. Oh yeah, and council unanimously adopts the climate change and sustainable energy action plan.

August City manager Shirley Hoy announces $34 million in cuts. They include: closing community centres on Mondays and delaying the opening of outdoor ice rinks until January. The Toronto Public Library agrees to cut $1.3 million by, among other things, closing on Sundays. Adam Giambrone talks about stopping service on the Sheppard subway line. Toronto police balk at trimming their $786 million operating budget.

September Provincial parties kick off their election campaigns, but there’s disappointingly little in the way of promises for Toronto.

October Council votes in favour of watered-down revenue tools.

November The Federation of Canadian Municipalities issues a report stating that the infrastructure deficit of Canadian cities is $123 billion. Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion challenges federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to a fight over federal funding for cities. Flaherty says cities are a bunch of crybabies.

December Rob Ford shines a light on questionable expenses of other councillors. David Miller agrees to set new rules surrounding councillor office expenses. Council hatches a new public-private partnership plan for revitalizing Union Station.