The City Doesn't Own Nathan Phillip's Square-The Taxpayer And Votersx Do...

...and this is where citizens, whether they are politicians, social in-activists or nutbars  should be allowed to setup their soapboxes!

Mayor's man tries to shut Ford down

Last Updated: July 14, 2010 11:02pm

The irony was too delicious to ignore.

Some 15 minutes before Rob Ford’s press conference — called to outline how he’d protect taxpayers — was set to roll Wednesday morning on taxpayer-funded Nathan Phillips Square, the mayor’s communications flak, Stuart Green, tried to have it stopped.
It had something to do with the city’s election-year policies that are supposed to prohibit a candidate from using city facilities and resources for campaign purposes. You know, those same rules that council last week voted 28-15 to override to allow their socialist pal Maria Augimeri to promote herself when the Robert Leek park opens at the end of September.
I wasn’t there at the time.
But Ford’s campaign manager Nick Kouvalis said Green spoke to a couple of city staff, including director of council services Winnie Li, telling them the Ford team was not permitted to have a campaign event in the square.
The event went ahead as scheduled. Like other events have on the square held by Ford’s opponents.
Kouvalis accused Green of acting like a “Storm Trooper” and a bully.
For his part, Green defended his actions, saying he just happened to be in the square and advised one of Ford’s people they should check with security about campaign events there.
“It was meant as a courtesy, nothing more,” he told me in an e-mail.
Now I could count on the fingers of one hand how many times staff in the mayor’s office have been courteous to me, or to anyone who dares oppose their view of the world.
That said, even if his fellow socialists on council don’t get it, as a communications flak, Green should know better than to start up with Ford’s team.
Each time something like this does occur, it just highlights, all the more, the culture of entitlement, arrogance, petulance, self-indulgence and the devil-may-care attitude with tax dollars and with rules that is so ingrained at Socialist City Hall.
No wonder Ford’s promises to protect the taxpayer are resonating with angry citizens.
Despite Green’s best attempts to thwart the delivery — and the Toronto Star’s weak effort to divert the message with their “smear de jour” — Ford’s proposals respond very well to a public disenfranchised with City Hall.
His Taxpayer Protection Plan will include opening the $1 billion in major city purchases and contracts to competitive bids and offering protection to those city employees who blow the whistle on waste, abuse and mismanagement of the public purse.
“Taxpayers have the right to know they’re getting the best value for their money,” he said.
“Too often ... too many purchases are negotiated behind closed doors without competitive bidding,” he added, pointing to the sole-source contract signed with Bombardier for $750 million in subway cars.
Ford said he will also cut the mayor’s office budget by 20% and councillor office budgets from $50,000 to $30,000 per year, while introducing rules to clamp down on loopholes that allow councillors like retiring Kyle Rae to throw lavish $12,000 farewell parties as he did last month.
“These actions will begin the process of making respect for taxpayers a key part of how Toronto does business,” he said.
Asked whether he’ll take a look at getting rid of the city’s Fair Wage policy, he said “absolutely.” That policy, which dictates any shop wishing to do business with City Hall must pay its employees close to union wages, has shut out many competitive bids on city contracts.
Ford said he’ll be definitely be looking at contracting out garbage pick-up as well — following a decision by Windsor city council to do so earlier this week.
Early Tuesday morning Windsor council voted 8-3 to award a seven-year contract to Turtle Island for 100% of its residential curbside garbage pickup. Pickup by the private sector, projected to save $8.9 million, will commence in the new year.
No wonder Green attempted to shut down Ford on Wednesday.
Respect for taxpayers is as foreign a concept to the socialists as being courteous to their critics.
sue-ann.levy@sunmedia.ca