160 Leftists Don't Make A Revolution...

...especially when the mesage is give me, give me.

Chris Selley: All-nighter didn’t shed any light on budget process

 "a parade of angry union bosses, troubled interest groups and alarmed residents"

Lawrence Solomon: KPMG’s timid Toronto cuts


Few taxpayers would notice any diminution of service

By Lawrence Solomon

‘Even if city council votes for a fraction of the several hundred millions of dollars in suggested cuts, the cuts suggested by city-hired consultants KPMG could transform the city,” the Toronto Star warned last week in an article about proposed budget cuts under Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

Added Gord Perks, a municipal Councillor and Ford critic: “These cuts would change Toronto from a city that is great to live in to a city that no one would want to live in.” Hundreds of Torontonians turned out to City Hall Thursday to plead with Mayor Ford and the rest of city council to spare city services.

In fact, the potential cuts that KPMG laid out are just what you’d expect from a consulting group inspired by accountants: cautious and uninspired. If Mayor Ford adopted most of the cuts, few Toronto taxpayers would notice any diminution of service, some would see an actual improvement in service, and all would benefit from a lower-taxed, more vibrant city. As an added benefit, Torontonians would learn lessons in independence and responsibility.

Many of the KPMG cuts fall into the spoonfeeding category. Does the Toronto municipal government really need to take animals to the pound when owners tire of their pets? Or to run a “toxic taxi” service to pick up paint cans from residents unwilling to dispose of them on their own? Or to send cleanup crews out after neighbours or local businesses have a street party? Or to perform any number of other conveniences — from running an employment agency to providing daycare — that the private sector does more efficiently and at lower cost?

More

Passage on an urban graveyard train

Toronto’s business-minded mayor needs to be reminded that there are two sides to a ledger – expenses and revenue

...how many of those making presentations to the Executive Committee suggested raising property taxes, city imposed fees, etc. 

Pity the children: Ford brings the naysayers to his doorstep

Mayor Ford Message To Stintz...

...tell TTC Management and beauracrats to priortize this long outstanding issue and have a solution, cost and implementation date no later than Dec. 24th or expect Santa to handout pink slips. The 12 scond delay excuse shows that this problem has been studied to death and the former TTC chair Mihevic was more interested in the St. Clair Right of Way debacle and the 12 second delay would be offset by the riders on St. Clair getting a 3 minute reduction.

Bureaucratic fear
Re “TTC stalls bus stop for Variety Village,” (Mike Stobel, Dec. 16): The TTC’s actions on this issue are reprehensible. A 12-second delay is nothing, and given the reason, there would be no complaints. The TTC has lost its perspective in bureaucracy and is using expedience and expense to delay, assuming the issue is a flash in a pan that will disappear. Well, it won’t go away. Where is the strong TTC administrator prepared to do what is right — to stand up and take action by putting in a temporary bus stop at the front door of Variety Village now and debate a permanent stop at a later time. Of course, bureaucratic fear prevents immediate action. The TTC continues to hit those who are emotionally and physically challenged. Somebody needs to put on a heavy pair of boots and start kicking butt at the TTC.

Stewart Glassford Newmarket

(Why make any stops at all? That would eliminate all delays)

Shocking arrogance
Re “A kick in the teeth” (Dec. 16): Way to go Mike Strobel, for an excellent column about the Variety Village bus stop madness. The sheer arrogance and lack of compassion shown by TTC brass is shocking, yet not completely unexpected. Perhaps the much-needed stop would have been implemented promptly if someone in TTC administration had a disabled child.

Mark Chisholm Aurora

(Doubt it. Strobel rightly describes them as “heartless”)

Twelve seconds?
So, no bus stop at Variety Village because it would add 12 seconds to the trip (“A kick in the teeth” Mike Strobel, Dec. 16). I wonder how long it takes to install and remove a bike from the bike racks on the front of the bus, that is if anybody ever uses those things? I guess the TTC is only “essential” to some.

Ellery Hollingsworth Scarborough

(How come everyone except TTC brass seem to understand the right thing to do?)