Has Quality Of Service Improved?

Will the quality of service improve?
The answer to both these questions is a resounding NO and therefore the argument put forward, by those who support Comrade Miller and the left wing at city hall, that property owners shouldn't complain about Miller breaking his promise to hold property tax increases at the rate of inflation is ludicrous.

Miller math and the myths
Now I'm not really sure what terribly highbrow dictionary Mayor David Miller uses but in the one I regularly check -- my trusty Webster's -- "in line" means "in agreement with (a particular standard.)"
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Miller's premature exhilaration

Why are Torontonians supposed to cheer for a mayor who promised them a property tax hike of about 2.4% this year and who is instead now proposing one of 3.75%?

Who has just made it more expensive to buy a home or renew a car licence by imposing new taxes that did not previously exist?

Who is raising numerous other levies and fees?

Are Torontonians expected to jump for joy because the city promises to improve its tree maintenance service (how could it be any worse?) add a few bus routes and install a stingray touch tank at the zoo?

As for Mayor David Miller's argument yesterday that for the first time since amalgamation in 1998, Toronto is submitting a "balanced budget" at the start of the annual budget process, that's true.

But it's only true because this year Queen's Park bailed out the city at the beginning of the budget process instead of at the end.

Smoke and mirrors aside, Miller yesterday declared a premature victory over the city's fiscal crisis, funded in part by Miller's broken election promise to keep annual tax hikes at or about the rate of inflation -- currently 2.4% -- compared to what he's proposed -- 3.75% -- which means he missed his target by 56%.

Apparently Miller thinks that's good enough for government work.

We don't.

No one can wave a magic wand and wish away the city's fiscal crunch, some of which predates Miller.

The problem is, the mayor's happy talk aside, Torontonians know the score.

They know their city hasn't really turned the corner in anyone's minds but Miller and those paid to echo what he says.

They know their city is still in decline.

They know Miller has largely been a disappointment as mayor -- a smart but unimaginative leader who plods along believing that doing things the way we've always done them in Toronto -- tax and spend, cry poor and, in his case, never take off those left-wing ideological blinders -- is the way to make Toronto great again.

Look around. Is Toronto "great" these days? There's your answer.

Miller's `modest' proposal
Paul Moloney 47 min. ago
Toronto city councillors have been presented with a proposed operating budget this year of $8.2 billion – to be precise, $8,186,920,000 – a figure that will require homeowners to fork over an extra 3.75 per ...

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