Pennywise! Pound Foolish?

...IMHO the pound foolish item is the proposal not to increase property taxes...you can't run a business profitably if your revenue stays stagnant. Even an increase to match the cost of living allowances would help at the bank but also at the negotiating table.

Ford budget a step in the right direction

By SUE-ANN LEVY, City Hall Columnist

They may have been small changes to the city’s morbidly obese budget.

DiManno: Chief Blair has to make some cuts


Mon Jan 10 2011

The Toronto police department must accept the grim facts of life we’ve all had to accept — do more with less, Rosie DiManno writes. (0)

Some of the things the city will spend less on with savings in brackets:

•Downspout disconnection program ended ($7.8 million)

•Drain grants for sewers blocked by city tree roots eliminated ($2.186 million)

•Economic development and culture international missions ($100.000)

•Our Toronto publication reduced in length ($139,000)

•Close Urban Affairs library and move collection to Central Reference Library ($100,000)

•Tenant Defence Fund reduction ($100,000)

•Rdeduced service on 48 TTC bus routes ($7 million)

Meanwhile, the budget proposes these fees and rates to rise:

•Residential water rates will go up 10.8% on March 1, an effective 9% annual increase, $56 annually for the average homeowner

•Garbage fees to rise 3.6%, an effective annual increase of 3%, an increase $6 to $12 a year depending on the bin size you have

•A full breakdown is expected later this week, but most city user fees will rise 3%, bringing in an estimated $23 million

•TTC tokens go up 10 cents each and Metropasses rise $5 a month, or $60 a year. Seniors and students will also see 10 cent fare hike.