The King Of Denial

I promise this will be the last shot, for today, at Comrade Miller and the Politburo....you should be getting the message.

April 21, 2007
'Bankruptcy is not accurate'
But the City of Toronto is finding a budget disaster is only a 'little bit' away
By SUE-ANN LEVY, TORONTO SUN

Asked to justify a 3.8% property tax hike this year -- one which is more than double the inflationary increase he promised at election time -- Mayor David Miller claimed he's kept the hike "in line" with the rate of inflation.

"It's not precisely at the rate of inflation," the mayor told the special council meeting held yesterday to debate this year's $7.8-billion operating budget. "But in general terms this is in line with my commitment."

He went on to contend -- in response to a very fair question from Coun. Mike Thompson given that inflation is running at about 1.8% in Toronto -- there can be a big debate about the rate of inflation and the basket of goods that apply to City Hall.

At least he wasn't passing on a 10% property tax hike, Miller added, rather smugly if I do say so myself.

"People understood when I said that, it meant I wasn't giving a precise figure," said the Harvard-educated economist. "It's around the range of inflation ... it's a little bit higher."

To which Thompson said: "I wasn't surprised with his (the mayor's) response ... nothing surprises me anymore."

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