Is Rob Ford doing a good job?
- Thread starter avxl1003
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And that's what I find most laughable. He was a City Councillor for 10 years and had access to every bit of information available. It was his job and responsibility to read and understand the information. Sadly, he did not take that part of the job seriously. Rob always used the excuse that he was frozen out by the left, but ultimately, he had access to information and chose not to work with the rest of council. Instead he chose to do the poor me, marginalized right wing common sense guy on a lefty stage grandstanding and "personally called back every Torontonian who called his office" instead of doing the rest of his job as councillor.
Unfortunately, he was a part-time politician at best. I've known the man for his entire time at City Hall and he was always the worst prepared and informed on Council - this can be verified by anyone who spent time working with the municipal government over the past decade. While others might call him lazy, I don't think that's entirely fair given all of the other stuff he did - I'd like to think that his priorities were just out of whack.
I think learning municipal politics, budgets and the realities of running the City of Toronto on the fly is too much for anyone. But given that Rob Ford had 10 years to prepare, it's shocking that he appears to have no clue about what is involved in the basics of running the City, let alone being Mayor. That's just downright scary. Scarier still, it appears he isn't willing to take the time to learn.
^^^ he spent a huge amount of energy keeping track of (and publishing on his idiotric website) the spending habits of the other councillors. As a councillor, Ford had his staff regularly compile the data on the expense claims of the other councillors and guess what - it worked. It worked because your average Joe has no clue about what it costs to run a business. They figure that if they get paid 20 bucks an hour - anyone else should be able to do his or her job for 20 bucks an hour. Joe see expense account claims for mileage and limos and a $200.00 dinner or a night at the Sutton Place Hotel and he gets all riled up and indignant.
Rob Ford is the kind of guy who goes to drink beer at the local drunk bar and fill his face with chicken wings and bitches about the government from start to finish.
He publishes the expense draws of the other councillors and the uniformed get all wound up and say, "see what these fat cats are spending my money on" And in reality, it's all chickenshit. Ford used to go on about how he had his constituency office at the old Etobicoke City Hall and as such didn't pay any rent and that the other councillors were claiming their store front constituency offices. Again, Joe Q Public gets all riled up. But the fact of the matter is that having a local constituency office had been approved by council as a legitimate expense. Ford parks his fat ass in the old Etobicoke City Hall and claims, "see, I'm using an existing municiple building and it's rent free" But the fact of the matter is that NO, it is not free. It has a cost, there is overhead, and just for some reason, no-one figured to charge fat ass until years into that stunt. He should have been charged from the get go and even after they charged him, they should have back charged him.
Rob Ford is the kind of guy who goes to drink beer at the local drunk bar and fill his face with chicken wings and bitches about the government from start to finish.
He publishes the expense draws of the other councillors and the uniformed get all wound up and say, "see what these fat cats are spending my money on" And in reality, it's all chickenshit. Ford used to go on about how he had his constituency office at the old Etobicoke City Hall and as such didn't pay any rent and that the other councillors were claiming their store front constituency offices. Again, Joe Q Public gets all riled up. But the fact of the matter is that having a local constituency office had been approved by council as a legitimate expense. Ford parks his fat ass in the old Etobicoke City Hall and claims, "see, I'm using an existing municiple building and it's rent free" But the fact of the matter is that NO, it is not free. It has a cost, there is overhead, and just for some reason, no-one figured to charge fat ass until years into that stunt. He should have been charged from the get go and even after they charged him, they should have back charged him.
And that's great for partisan politics. But it's awful for actually getting anything done.
The kind of research his staff did is normally reserved for the various political party offices and left- and right-wing think-tanks. Ford took it upon himself at the expense of his real job.
This video was uploaded over a year ago by the Ford campaign.
At around 3 and a half minutes in he mentions "spending reductions of 2.5%". What happened to just 2.5%?
Another question I have is, when did he mention selling the zoo? When did he mention closing Riverdale Farms? When did he mention cutting 2000 daycare spots? 2.5% sounds reasonable for spending cuts.. THAT is why Toronto voted for him. Because Toronto was sold a bill of goods that if we hired him, he'd "trim back spending"..
Incidentally, for those of you who forget.. At around 4:40 he says "We can reach this target by cutting waste. We do NOT have to cut services."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry1-xZIx_Zw
We're all being led to believe (by radio stations like 640 Toronto), that this CLEARLY meant selling off assets, and reducing useful services like the Blue Night. And that we're all just upset now that he's actually doing it. I, for one, believe this is a big insult to Torontonians. We aren't flip-flopping on what we want done, he was very clear that he WOULDN'T cut services.
It doesn't matter anyway, though, as a quick look at the paper seems to show a small victory for those of us that have the balls to fight for our services.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-mayor-ford-to-retreat-from-controversial-cuts/article2170833/
At around 3 and a half minutes in he mentions "spending reductions of 2.5%". What happened to just 2.5%?
Another question I have is, when did he mention selling the zoo? When did he mention closing Riverdale Farms? When did he mention cutting 2000 daycare spots? 2.5% sounds reasonable for spending cuts.. THAT is why Toronto voted for him. Because Toronto was sold a bill of goods that if we hired him, he'd "trim back spending"..
Incidentally, for those of you who forget.. At around 4:40 he says "We can reach this target by cutting waste. We do NOT have to cut services."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry1-xZIx_Zw
We're all being led to believe (by radio stations like 640 Toronto), that this CLEARLY meant selling off assets, and reducing useful services like the Blue Night. And that we're all just upset now that he's actually doing it. I, for one, believe this is a big insult to Torontonians. We aren't flip-flopping on what we want done, he was very clear that he WOULDN'T cut services.
It doesn't matter anyway, though, as a quick look at the paper seems to show a small victory for those of us that have the balls to fight for our services.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-mayor-ford-to-retreat-from-controversial-cuts/article2170833/
Lets do some simple math and show why Rob Ford is a disaster: City budget is 750 million short - Rob Ford cut the Car Registration Tax, which lowers city revenue by 65 million. Rob Ford stops City Transit plan, cost is 100 million. Rob Ford is proposing to stop the Land Transfer Tax in 2012, which will cut city revenue a further $300million. So, there you go Rob Ford, no need to do any more budgeting, there is $465million of your $750m right there! We can add things like digging up the Jarvis St bike lane (another $120,000 cost) to this!
Rob Ford is basically a victim of his own tax chopping exercise! All of these promises to cut taxes has put the council in a total bind! This is probably the worst decisions I've ever seen by a politician! And, its like the anti Robin Hood politics....taking services from the poor and giving it back to the ruch in less taxes! Thanks Rob Ford, now we are going to have poor people with nowhere to go and nothing to do, and no books to read, while us rich people have a few dollars more. Terrible, short sighted, right wing politics at its worst, if you ask me!
Rob Ford is basically a victim of his own tax chopping exercise! All of these promises to cut taxes has put the council in a total bind! This is probably the worst decisions I've ever seen by a politician! And, its like the anti Robin Hood politics....taking services from the poor and giving it back to the ruch in less taxes! Thanks Rob Ford, now we are going to have poor people with nowhere to go and nothing to do, and no books to read, while us rich people have a few dollars more. Terrible, short sighted, right wing politics at its worst, if you ask me!
According to NOW Toronto Twitter (09-19-2011 10:57am):
@nowtoronto Oh goodness. Ford just cut the mic of a Kenneth Poon, who appears to be visually impaired and can't see he clock
@nowtoronto Mr. Poon says he has been living with HIV for 26 yrs, and is speaking against cuts to HIV comm. services
@nowtoronto Oh goodness. Ford just cut the mic of a Kenneth Poon, who appears to be visually impaired and can't see he clock
@nowtoronto Mr. Poon says he has been living with HIV for 26 yrs, and is speaking against cuts to HIV comm. services
At the end of the day, agree with Ford or not, the city spends too much money, so all you people who live down there all start paying another 2 g's on your taxes and the problem is solved. Then you union guys can get a raise next year from the city in order to pay for it !!! Then they can raise tax again the following year !!!! WTF
City spending is out of control, all you guys who think he is doing bad have any great ideas on how to save half a billion I am sure he would love to hear from you !! Well I am off to the library
City spending is out of control, all you guys who think he is doing bad have any great ideas on how to save half a billion I am sure he would love to hear from you !! Well I am off to the library
IF the City's in good shape, then balancing your budget by cutting expenses is a feasible idea. IF it's in bad shape already, cutting expenses can only make it worse.
So which is it?
As for us folks 'down there', IF we paid taxes like the folks 'out there' in the distant parts of the GTA, we'd likely not have a budget shortfall, ort at least one that was smaller. That's one of the reasons why most of the people who answered Ford's Services Review on line, and most of the folks who made deputations said, "Yes, raise my taxes if thart's the only way to keep these services."
And NO, the City does not "…spend too much money", if it did we'd have the waterfront all done, recycling in all the condo and apartments, no potholes, no lead water pipe, and no shit in the Don after every rainfall overwhelms our century old sewers. Heck we might even have some improved/new roads, bikelanes and transit lines, and not just be playing catch-up with stuff we shoulda got underway the day Harris gifted us with the MegaCity.
The City doesn't spend nearly enough money, and having established there's precious little fat, gravy or waste Rob'n'Dug will ensure it's a dirtier, uglier, unhealthier and unsafer place to live if all they do is cut.
And IF we let them get away with it.
So which is it?
As for us folks 'down there', IF we paid taxes like the folks 'out there' in the distant parts of the GTA, we'd likely not have a budget shortfall, ort at least one that was smaller. That's one of the reasons why most of the people who answered Ford's Services Review on line, and most of the folks who made deputations said, "Yes, raise my taxes if thart's the only way to keep these services."
And NO, the City does not "…spend too much money", if it did we'd have the waterfront all done, recycling in all the condo and apartments, no potholes, no lead water pipe, and no shit in the Don after every rainfall overwhelms our century old sewers. Heck we might even have some improved/new roads, bikelanes and transit lines, and not just be playing catch-up with stuff we shoulda got underway the day Harris gifted us with the MegaCity.
The City doesn't spend nearly enough money, and having established there's precious little fat, gravy or waste Rob'n'Dug will ensure it's a dirtier, uglier, unhealthier and unsafer place to live if all they do is cut.
And IF we let them get away with it.
"You union guys?" Despite what you've been led to believe, not EVERYBODY in Toronto works for a union.
Call the mayor up, he will take your call tell him you want to pay more taxes.
Yes if you spend more than you take in, that it is simple math, you spent too much, again call them up and offer to pay more taxes.
Yes if you spend more than you take in, that it is simple math, you spent too much, again call them up and offer to pay more taxes.
You need to reduce the workforce, not cut services.
Lay off 10% of the workforce, but don't close libraries, or cut TTC services. The 90% of the staff that remain will just need to work a bit more.
If laying off 10% of the work force does not cover it, then raise taxes to fill in the gap.
End of story.
If people don't like the idea of laying off 10% of staff, then cut salaries by 10% - the result is the same (but everyone gets to keep their jobs)
Lay off 10% of the workforce, but don't close libraries, or cut TTC services. The 90% of the staff that remain will just need to work a bit more.
If laying off 10% of the work force does not cover it, then raise taxes to fill in the gap.
End of story.
If people don't like the idea of laying off 10% of staff, then cut salaries by 10% - the result is the same (but everyone gets to keep their jobs)
Actually the mayor taking phone calls is a myth. He has a team send back vague generic emails to you regarding your complaint.
So you would cut daycare? What would you do with all the working poor, that are only able to work THANKS to subsidized daycare?
David Miller increased spending from $6.4 Billion, to $9.2 Billion. Bled the 'rainy day reserve fund' completely dry ($94.4 million when he took office in 2003 according to the Toronto Star) but the city doesn't have a spending problem?
And just for the record, Toronto Businesses (commercial occupied) pay 3.6% as compared to 2.14% (Markham) or 2.95% (Ajax). A quick look at this chart from -ironically enough- TREB shows that only Aurora has a larger spread commercial to residential than Toronto:
http://www.propertytoronto.com/TaxRates2010.pdf
The city is getting their pound of flesh, just not from residents.
Yes, agreed. But raising any kind of taxes is OFF the table according to Ford!
Any sane politician who is trying to balance the books would offer a little bit of service cuts, and a little bit of tax increases in the right areas, and that would do the trick. But no, Ford wants to cut services, and not even look at taxes.
To best honest....I earn $$$, I personally would pay more taxes just so my son and daughter can go to the library. If you won't do the same, you are a selfish son of a gun! If it was as simple as calling Rob Ford and telling him I would pay more taxes, I would do it! But there are thousands of selfish people out there who would never agree to that. So, what we are left with is a city of no fun, no places to get books, no places to visit, and a waterfront that will never be finished. Well done Toronto!
I'm sure his first preference would be to cut wages, but probably can't find a way or figure out a way to do it with the type of contracts that the unions have.
I think you're right about it being smart to trim some areas and increase taxes / fees in others. Problem is, it's not just the people railing against a tax increase to pay for libraries, it's everyone. I bet half the people storming City Hall about the cuts are riding bikes they don't want to have to license where the money would go to maintain the infrastructure they're using.
Everyone needs the figurative smack upside the head.
Surely you did not expect the FORDs to raise taxes....
That is what the LEFT does..then doles it out to all the pet projects..over and over.
The Fords are looking for efficiencies...
THAT DOES MEAN CUTTING STAFF
It has been argued long and hard in here that civil services don't work near as hard as the private sector....
I tend to agree..and its time to make them work harder!!!
That is what the LEFT does..then doles it out to all the pet projects..over and over.
The Fords are looking for efficiencies...
THAT DOES MEAN CUTTING STAFF
It has been argued long and hard in here that civil services don't work near as hard as the private sector....
I tend to agree..and its time to make them work harder!!!
Why license bikes when they've already cut the vehicle registration tax?! Then cut the plastic bag tax. Then cut the land registration tax. Why don't they just do away with all taxes?! Then cut all public services and we can light our own streets by burning books that the library are selling off as its been closed?!
