unimaginative2
Senior Member
Councillors tire of taxi issue
Licensing committee `waste of time,' says one
Dec 12, 2007 04:30 AM
John Spears
city hall bureau
After missing the past two meetings of the licensing and standards committee, Toronto Councillor Sandra Bussin yesterday said it should be abolished.
And two others on the six-member committee want out, too.
The Beaches-East York councillor's absence was noted by Councillor Mike Del Grande (Ward 39, Scarborough-Agincourt) at the last session, who said he'd rather not come either because it has become "the taxicab committee."
Bussin launched into a tirade about the committee's shortcomings when asked about it yesterday, saying the issue of regulating taxis "overwhelms" the committee to the exclusion of all else.
"I wanted on there specifically to deal with municipal and licensing issues with respect to building matters, and we barely touch on it.
"The chair (Councillor Howard Moscoe) has made it perfectly clear that 90 per cent of this committee is taxis, and I do not feel that is the direction it should be going."
She got backup yesterday from Councillor Rob Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North), who admitted he "can't stand" the committee either.
"It's a waste of everyone's time."
But Councillor Anthony Perruzza (Ward 8, York West) disagreed, however, saying the recent emphasis on taxis won't last forever.
Moscoe (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence) shrugged off the criticism. He acknowledged the committee isn't popular, but "I sit on boards and committees that I'm not thrilled to be on," he said. "In politics you are a servant of the people. You have to listen to everybody."
Licensing committee `waste of time,' says one
Dec 12, 2007 04:30 AM
John Spears
city hall bureau
After missing the past two meetings of the licensing and standards committee, Toronto Councillor Sandra Bussin yesterday said it should be abolished.
And two others on the six-member committee want out, too.
The Beaches-East York councillor's absence was noted by Councillor Mike Del Grande (Ward 39, Scarborough-Agincourt) at the last session, who said he'd rather not come either because it has become "the taxicab committee."
Bussin launched into a tirade about the committee's shortcomings when asked about it yesterday, saying the issue of regulating taxis "overwhelms" the committee to the exclusion of all else.
"I wanted on there specifically to deal with municipal and licensing issues with respect to building matters, and we barely touch on it.
"The chair (Councillor Howard Moscoe) has made it perfectly clear that 90 per cent of this committee is taxis, and I do not feel that is the direction it should be going."
She got backup yesterday from Councillor Rob Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North), who admitted he "can't stand" the committee either.
"It's a waste of everyone's time."
But Councillor Anthony Perruzza (Ward 8, York West) disagreed, however, saying the recent emphasis on taxis won't last forever.
Moscoe (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence) shrugged off the criticism. He acknowledged the committee isn't popular, but "I sit on boards and committees that I'm not thrilled to be on," he said. "In politics you are a servant of the people. You have to listen to everybody."