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2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Mayoral Race

Again. The question was about living comfortably, not about scrapping by. I highly doubt those families that are below median consider themselves comfortable.
I've known people of the cloth, who live on a pittance, who think themselves comfortable.

Please read the rest of my post. I absolutely do know what a co-op is. I just asked a simple question. If your supposedly "market rent" is below what most would pay in that area, how is that not a subsidy? Sure, it's not a direct subsidy (direct injection of government funds offsetting costs).
How is it a subsidy? Who is subsidizing the corporation, if it's breaking even? Co-ops aren't cheaper because they are subsidized. They are cheaper because they are non-profit. They wouldn't charge more than cost - so if they purchased their property years ago, then their costs have not increased simply because prices have gone up.

But co-ops getting lands for cheap or free, with discounted CMHC backed loans (especially back in the 70s and 80s) are certainly benefitting from some indirect subsidies.
Some might. Some paid market value ... years ago.

I'll bet a lot of developers would love to have access to those facilities.
You think a developer has never gotten land cheap or free with some government assistance?

I have nothing against it. I'd just like to call it what it is.
And yet you keep using the word subsidized. Anyone who buys a new first home these days gets a tax break. So then are homes subsidized?

And where did I ever say anything about some $ requirement stopping this family of 4 earning $60k?
Fair enough. Why do you think there'd be a requirement that you couldn't earn $6-million a year?

I said that most families would not consider living in a co-op comfortable. To me that's common sense. But feel free to disagree.
I completely disagree. I suppose those like John Tory born with a silver-spoon in their mouth would never feel comfortable in a co-op. I expect he'd feel uncomfortable in a typical 1,000 square foot east-end house as well. But I think a lot of people living in co-ops feel comfortable. I know people living in co-ops in Manhattan who feel quite comfortable and well-off. (and I use that example, simply as I don't offhand know anyone currently living in a Toronto co-op ... or perhaps I do, and just don't know it).

We can't really expect you to be truthful, can we?
??? What? What are you talking about. Family of 4 living in Toronto ... that's what we've been talking about. How does you suddenly start calling me a liar?

He didn't say you need $100k to live in Toronto. He said, a family of four, needs $100k to live comfortably in the downtown core. There's a huge difference between what you inferred he said and what he actually said.
We've been talking about family of 4 the entire time. I'm sorry I didn't type the entire thing the 12th time I used it. Hang on ... elsewhere I've seen the comment about family of 4 in Toronto. In other places downtown Toronto (and what's the definition of that ... Keele to Woodbine? Bay to Yonge?)

And again I ask, what does it say about Chow that only 7% of those who answered that CTV poll agree with her perception of what the average middle class family needs?
Does it matter? I said it's lower than $100,000. I never said it was $60,000. Though I ran the $60,000 numbers as an extreme example.


This discussion ends if you decide to be patronizing, insulting and/or belligerent. Hope the mods take note.
What are you referring to here? I asked you if you thought MEC was subsidized? In what way is this patronizing, insulting, or belligerent? I was simply trying to make point that co-op<>subsidized. I think you've misinterpreted what I said.
 
All candidates make mistakes. And on this one, I do think Chow made a mistake. The only question is, whether it was a genuine mistake (she misunderstod the question) or whether she actually believes that a family of four can live comfortably on $60k per year in the downtown core.
She might well have. My point was that John Tory made a mistake saying that you need $100,000 a year to live comfortably.

You seem to agree with her. The rest of us seem to think that your definition of comfortable involves quite a few sacrifices from the norms. Whatever.
Do I? $60,000 seems a bit low to me. Olivia Chow has been wrong so many times in this election.

I haven't decided who I'll support yet. If I go for Chow though, it's because she hasn't repeatedly shown moral and ethical failures that the other leading candidates have.

And on $60K a year ... so ... either she see's the glass half-full where other's see it half-empty. Or she doesn't need the comforts that Ford and Tory grew up with. Aren't these positives?
 
My point was that John Tory made a mistake saying that you need $100,000 a year to live comfortably.

48% of those polled by CTV certainly don't think so. Again. We aren't talking subsistence. We are talking comfort. And we're not talking about families embracing oddball tastes like that of a monk.

Do I? $60,000 seems a bit low to me.

Was that really so hard to admit?

None of us are saying that there are not families who make do with less than $60k. Or even that there are not families who are content with living on $60k. What we are arguing is that for the majority of families, what they perceive to be a comfortable lifestyle in the downtown core, will, as per their perception, cost $100k.

The question is one about being in touch with voters. It's not about what you think. It's about if you understand them well enough to know what they think. Empathy with the middle class (not the poor or the rich).

I would hope, if this comes up again, Olivia Chow doesn't get defensive (like you did) and launch into some tirade about how families can be comfortable with $60k.

I haven't decided who I'll support yet.

Could've fooled the rest of us. I'll be surprised if you pick anybody but Chow.

If I go for Chow though, it's because she hasn't repeatedly shown moral and ethical failures that the other leading candidates have.

And on $60K a year ... so ... either she see's the glass half-full where other's see it half-empty. Or she doesn't need the comforts that Ford and Tory grew up with. Aren't these positives?

Indeed they are. For you. The rest of us, of course, are free to disagree with your perception of her and the other candidates. This is why democracy is great.

For the record, I actually think she's a great candidate. Just that I like Tory's platform better.
 
I'm not going to get into this back and forth but I wanted to point out regarding household income: are these numbers comparable without overlaying them with household formation data? Household incomes are higher in many suburban areas simply because they consist of more married couples. If household incomes in the central city ever reached suburban levels it would demonstrate to me that a) the central city has vastly higher incomes b) more households in the suburbs are becoming single adult households.
 
I'm not going to get into this back and forth but I wanted to point out regarding household income: are these numbers comparable without overlaying them with household formation data? Household incomes are higher in many suburban areas simply because they consist of more married couples. If household incomes in the central city ever reached suburban levels it would demonstrate to me that a) the central city has vastly higher incomes b) more households in the suburbs are becoming single adult households.

Actually, if you look at the Community Council data, incomes are higher in the core than the suburbs. In particular, Toronto and East York (Area C) is higher than Scarborough (Area D) and Etobicoke York (Area D). Areas C and D are also below the city average. Area D is a worrisome $15k (17%) below average. North York (Area B) is higher than the core and the city average. But this I think is more a function of what you suggest, more married couples in North York. Though I highly doubt that Scarborough is somehow becoming a hotbed of singledom.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...nnel=1e68f40f9aae0410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
 
To be fair though, doesn't census families include 1-person families, and certainly 2-person families?

Short definition Part A....Refers to the classifcation of families into married couples (with or without children of either and/or both spouses), common-law couples (with or without.....both partners) and lone parent families by sex of parent...

In other words.....All Families
 
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Median family incomes for downtown Toronto are much higher, which would also belie this idea of living comfortably on family incomes that are 40% below average (for the core) or 15% below regional average.

If nfitz and Chow are correct, then I'm wondering why the hubub about poverty? Clearly the vast majority of Toronto's population is living comfortably.

You are right the "Toronto Census Area" includes East Gwillimbury, Caledon, Pickering etc....
 
Was that really so hard to admit?
Still, I think some might feel comfortable on only $60K, if they have decent rent. Perhaps a paid-off house. Heck, if no mortgage, and split $30K each, they might be better off than a single-wage earner with $110 income, big rent, a spouse, and 2 small children that it's not worth putting in childcare to bring in an extra $20,000.

What we are arguing is that for the majority of families, what they perceive to be a comfortable lifestyle in the downtown core, will, as per their perception, cost $100k.
The question asked wasn't what are people's perception. It was the candidate's perception that was asked.

Not surprisingly, Tory need a lot more $ to be comfortable than anyone else. This says a lot about Tory.

Could've fooled the rest of us. I'll be surprised if you pick anybody but Chow.
Despite my relentless attacks on her bizarre and useless $20 million transit plan? What's odd though, is when I say something pro-Chow or anti-Tory, some people seem to have this need to debate me to death. If I same something anti-Chow, no one says boo, and no one remembers, because there's no further discussion.
 
Finally looked at Compass.

Hmm:
Chow: 79%
Tory: 57%
Ford: 35%.

Interesting in how much closer Ford is to Tory on the political scale.

Some strange stuff in there. "Subway service should be expanded across the downtown core." I strongly agreed, and matched Tory. But not Chow and Ford? Bizarre - Tory has done nothing for a downtown subway - instead he's pushing his SmartTrack idiocy. Yet both Chow and Ford say they are behind the DRL.
 
Some strange stuff in there. "Subway service should be expanded across the downtown core." I strongly agreed, and matched Tory. But not Chow and Ford? Bizarre - Tory has done nothing for a downtown subway - instead he's pushing his SmartTrack idiocy. Yet both Chow and Ford say they are behind the DRL.

That's relatively recent on Chow's part. She was of the opinion that the DRL isn't an election issue and therefore would not make commitments to it. Until her numbers tanked that is.
 
That's relatively recent on Chow's part. She was of the opinion that the DRL isn't an election issue and therefore would not make commitments to it. Until her numbers tanked that is.
She mentioned it months ago ...

But more to the point - how can I possibly agree with Tory about subways, when he's said little about the DRL, and instead is pushing this once every 15 minute enhanced GO Train that pretty much skirts downtown!?! It does nothing to solve downtown congestion issues.
 
Finally looked at Compass.

Hmm:
Chow: 79%
Tory: 57%
Ford: 35%.

Interesting in how much closer Ford is to Tory on the political scale.

Some strange stuff in there. "Subway service should be expanded across the downtown core." I strongly agreed, and matched Tory. But not Chow and Ford? Bizarre - Tory has done nothing for a downtown subway - instead he's pushing his SmartTrack idiocy. Yet both Chow and Ford say they are behind the DRL.

Those questions are always a bit tricky to answer. How strongly do I feel about poverty?
That said, I got Tory 67, Chow 60, Doug 36.
Seems about right - there was a time I felt like it was a coin toss between Tory and Chow but I've been sufficiently annoyed by her campaign to shift to Tory without resorting to any kind of complete dislike or distrust for her. Ideologically it put me closer to her than anyone else and if she somehow narrowly edged out Tory, I think I could live with that. It's not just "Anyone But Ford," it's about a legit contest between two intelligent people with different visions for the city. Besides, it's a weak mayor and either has to work with council so....Compass wasn't so far off.
 
Some strange stuff in there. "Subway service should be expanded across the downtown core." I strongly agreed, and matched Tory. But not Chow and Ford? Bizarre - Tory has done nothing for a downtown subway - instead he's pushing his SmartTrack idiocy. Yet both Chow and Ford say they are behind the DRL.

The way this question was worded is a little confusing. I'm guessing that the question was about the downtown relief line?
 
Chow: 65%
Tory: 47%
Ford:38%

That's about 37% more than I'm comfortable having in common with Douglas.

Of course, I was in the lonely top-right corner for extremely socially progressive and midrange fiscally conservative. Must be my inner libertarian showing.
 

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