Preville on Politics
Remember the toilet (or, Changing the budget tune)
Posted on January 28, 2008 by Philip Preville
Mayor David Miller and Budget Chief Shelley Carroll—whose name is increasingly whispered whenever talk turns to the issue of potential Miller successors—today announced what they called the first balanced budget since amalgamation. The truth is that every budget since amalgamation has been balanced; what sets this one apart is that Queen’s Park delivered the bailout in advance, so there was no squabbling over the shortfall. Follow this link to see the city’s platitude-filled, stock-photography-laden budget propaganda: updates on all the same pie charts and bar graphs they issue every year, now unfolding in real-time Technicolor, yet still failing to provide any year-over-year comparisons or, subsequently, any detailed indication of how they managed to pull it off.
Some quick reactions:
1. Remember the toilet. As I wrote a short time back, the city’s current budget suffers from some drastic imbalances. The cops and the TTC tend to gobble up huge amounts of money—as does debt service on previous years’ road repairs and other capital spending—while other departments are run on a shoestring. The budget they’ve balanced is one that serves the city poorly.
2. Playing footsie. Why would Dwight Duncan bail the city out in advance? I dunno, but here’s my guess: City Hall and Queen’s Park need to make the city’s annual budget brouhaha disappear because they are about to embark on some other, more controversial initiatives.
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Philip Preville
Veteran freelance writer Philip Preville lived much of his life in Montreal and Edmonton before he was lured, like so many Torontonians before him, by the promise of more work and a better living. A National Magazine Award winner and former Canadian Journalism Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, Preville writes Toronto Life’s politics column. He lives with his wife and one-year-old son in Riverdale, just close enough to the Don Valley Parkway that he can hear it when he steps outside his house—but just far enough away that it doesn’t keep him awake at night. On his office wall hangs a 1938–39 press pass belonging to his grandfather, Elias Gannon, who wrote for the Montreal Star.
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Observer January 28, 2008 at 4:33 p.m.
Carroll is already the steadiest hand on the second floor of City Hall, bar none. With that rep and her suburban mom cred to go along with her Liberal membership card and "progressive" credentials, she's going as far as she wants in this city.
josie erent January 29, 2008 at 12:39 p.m.
these unethical and mean spirted people believe in taxing the citizens of toronto to death...increase in salaries and job protection for the unions.
These people have done nothing for the citizens,home owners and small businesses of Toronto.
Mayor Miller will go down in history as the worst Mayor in Toronto who with his socialist colleagues....have made this city government the most hated government in Canada.
They have done nothing to curb waste, spending and abuse taking place at city hall.
I tell me U.S friends not to visit Toronto....dirty city with silly government with a overzealous police force that issue bogus park tickets while violent crimes grows in our city....
Thought of the Day January 29, 2008 at 1:51 p.m.
Maybe the Josies of Toronto are the problem, not Miller?
Josie Erent June 25, 2008 at 6:25 p.m.
A law abiding citizen is not the problem..
corrupt politicians and ignorant media are the problem.
meanwhile our Federal government and provincial government give away almost a billion dollars of interest free money to GM....I AM NOT THE PROBLEM YOU IGNORAMUS....YOU STUPID IGNORNANT PERSON YOU KEEPS VOTING THE SAME CORRUPT POLICIANS TO POWER.
JOSIE ERENT June 25, 2008 at 6:29 p.m.
miller is the worst mayor in north american.........who has accomplished nothing.
In the meantime what have you accomplished....??? nothing.
I tell my American friends not to visit to Toronto...dirty corrupt...Parking police ticketing tourists...how dare you insult you ignorant media professional who has nothing to intelligent to say....
I guess you must be a Miller support? God only knows he needs all the support he can get...He certainly won't get it from the business community or the Toronto Real Estate Board.
IGNORNANT MEDIA PROFESSIONAL .
JOSIE ERENT June 25, 2008 at 6:32 p.m.
I DEMAND THAT YOUR STUPID MAGAZINE CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION IMMEDIATELY.
I DO NOT PAY OR SUPPORT IGNORANT UNINFORMED MEDIA WHO CHOOSE TO INSULT BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS WHO CREATE JOBS IN TORONTO.
WHAT DO YOU CREATE ?.??? NOTHING....EXCEPT GARBAGE ARTICLES.