Hefty book of horrors
A quick review of city of Toronto grants makes this columnist sick
By JOE WARMINGTON
Columnist Joe Warmington holds up a heavy binder yesterday and reviews descriptions of city spending on things. (Stan Behal, Sun Media)
The book is so heavy you almost need a staff to carry it.
Perhaps there is a city of Toronto grant for something like that! Don't laugh.
In this binder, obtained by the Sun from a source inside the Money Pit on Queen, there is outlined more than $44 million in free taxpayers' money from 2005 that went to more than 2,200 grant receivers.
Just thought you should know. This is your money folks. No wonder this thing is so heavy.
The book for the 2007 version of grant heaven won't be ready for more than a year but documents obtained by the Sun yesterday show council has approved more than $41 million in handouts at a time when taxpayers are getting dinged for almost 4% and the city is in credit card hell.
MISCELLANEOUS
In that more than $16 million will go to Arts and Culture, $13 million to Community Services, $1.3 million to recreation, $5.1 million to public health (why are they getting grants if they are public?), $2.4 million to housing, $773,000 for access and equity, $556,000 for economic development, $259,000 for urban development and $1.191 million for miscellaneous.
Wonder what this council considers miscellaneous? Councillor Pam McConnell said Councillor Rob Ford's trimmings were on "frivolous" matters. Maybe she meant miscellaneous. I don't know about you but I would like to see accounting of that almost $2 million for miscellaneous.
Now, as mentioned, Councillor Ford of Etobicoke brought this stuff to light this week in his voted-down attempt to cut $108 million from the $7.8-billion operating budget. He called for at least a 10% reduction of the tens of millions handed out to organizations in all kinds of sectors for free.
The poor guy knows this leftist, freeloading, embarrassment for a council would never buy it but he tried to be nice and give them a chance. Remember they were laughing at him for daring to point out that things could be done for less and that the money does not belong to council.
They may not be laughing in a year if the city goes bankrupt and the province of Ontario takes over the municipality.
He should have been given a standing ovation.
Every penny of this $44 million could be taken back. Every penny should be taken back. My feeling is if you want to build it or have a parade to celebrate it, you pay for it. You raise the money, you hire the cops to secure it.
It's not like we have surpluses around here. On the street last night, people like Toma Tzakov raised a good point. He has a spine injury. Access to bathrooms and the like are areas where grant money can be spent.
Taxpayers like Kristine Fleming, who never once complains about what her council grab from her, says she trusts they are looking out for the public's interest.
Are they? I look at this list and I wonder. To be honest it makes me sick.
This booklet of the 2005 grant list is something else. It makes the free golf and zoo trips for council look lame. But you be the judge.
In 2005, the grant spending of your money was more like $44 million. I have the list but it's too large to print. We'll have to wait and see how they spend this year's allotment but here's some from what the city calls the Community Partnership and Investment Program but what I call the people doing the happy dance list.
Let's start at the top and 519 Church Street Community Centre, which, according to this chart received more than $167,000. Wow.
A place called A Space Gallery got more than $59,000. How about the Abrigo Centre, which received $52,000? What did they do with our money? What is it?
The AIDS committee of Toronto was granted $128,000. Actually they are listed twice. They also received another $22,000.
NOT EVEN OFF LETTER A
You ever heard of the Alexander singers? You gave them $2,500.
The Anishnawbe Health Toronto got $124,000. You notice we are not even off the letter A?
Well, the Bata Shoe museum got $12,265. I am sure they needed that. The Beaches Jazz Festival Society was awarded $8,873. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre got $112,000.
The Cabbagetown Youth Centre received more than $125,000 (that's a lot of cabbage), the Canadian Arab Federation got $25,000. Corso Italia BIA was granted $2,800, the Cosburn Lawn Bowling Club was given $3,000. Now I am not off the Cs.
Skipping ahead, I see the Leaside Girls Hockey League got $2,000 and so did the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club. How did they decide that?
And why does the Maple Leaf Theatre for Social Responsibility get $56,398?
According to this, Pride Toronto was in for $100,000, The Royal Winter Agricultural Fair $884,710 and something called Puppetmongers was granted $13,000.
How much did you get? Oh yeah, you had to pay. If I get some e-mails about this today maybe I'll print some more.
No grant necessary.
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