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Mayor John Tory's Toronto

I still say it comes down to leadership and abdication of leadership.

You can have a scientist as a leader but government should not abdicate leadership and management to science or scientific advice. Science is a different kind of problem solving and methodology. Good leadership listens to scientific advice but acts in the public interest.

I can think of many examples where government in this country hides behind advisory bodies instead of taking direct action. The WHO might have a lot to answer for but it’s government leadership not the WHO that must listen to the scientific advice and act and must bear the responsibility for the consequences of that action.
 
Clearly something to think about for the disused "High Level Bridge" over the Don River @ The Brickworks! :->

(CNN) — Though luxury hotel openings have slowed to a trickle this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there are still a few exciting new properties opening their doors to guests in 2020.
Among the most intriguing of the bunch is Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge.
Now under construction in South Africa, this unique luxury resort sits partially on the historic Selati Bridge over the Sabie River in stunning Kruger National Park.
As the name implies, a newly refurbished train featuring 24 carriage rooms will be permanently stationed on the bridge's disused tracks.
 
DSC said:
Clearly something to think about for the disused "High Level Bridge" over the Don River @ The Brickworks! :->

(CNN) — Though luxury hotel openings have slowed to a trickle this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there are still a few exciting new properties opening their doors to guests in 2020.
Among the most intriguing of the bunch is Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge.
Now under construction in South Africa, this unique luxury resort sits partially on the historic Selati Bridge over the Sabie River in stunning Kruger National Park.
As the name implies, a newly refurbished train featuring 24 carriage rooms will be permanently stationed on the bridge's disused tracks.
Click to expand...
I assume you're talking about the "Half" (Quarter) Mile Bridge? The view is a bit crowded from there, with the DVP on one side and hydro wires on the other.
 
Northern Light said:
New Column From Matt Elliot on the need to empower the City of Toronto to generate the revenues it needs.

www.thestar.com

Matt Elliott: Road tolls on the Gardiner? Some ways Queen’s Park can help Toronto with its $1.5B pandemic budget crisis

It’s demeaning to see the leader of Canada’s largest city have to ask for money from Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau, so here are some solutions.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
Click to expand...

Time for the 905ers to pay for using the Toronto owned expressways. Maybe a rebate for Toronto ratepayers, who pay through property taxes.
 
Northern Light said:
New Column From Matt Elliot on the need to empower the City of Toronto to generate the revenues it needs.

www.thestar.com

Matt Elliott: Road tolls on the Gardiner? Some ways Queen’s Park can help Toronto with its $1.5B pandemic budget crisis

It’s demeaning to see the leader of Canada’s largest city have to ask for money from Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau, so here are some solutions.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
Click to expand...

Erm, that won't work.

Without a change in law, Toronto government will be forced by provincial law to shut-down basically everything at some point well before Dec 31st.

They cannot get any of these new revenue tools setup before Dec 31st, let alone collect the revenue needed to cover the short-fall from Spring and Summer.


Either the province needs to allow Toronto to borrow for operating expenses for 2020 or someone needs to cover the gap soon. New revenue streams only help if Toronto is allowed to borrow to cover this years expenses.

Most Ontario municipalities have large 2020 budget holes to fill or be given permission to defer filling.
 
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The budget hole is temporary due to low probability unforeseen events. The solution is making one-time exceptions or accommodations not to make structural reforms. We can talk about new revenue streams or in general taxation levels moving forward but using the pandemic as an excuse to institute reoccurring revenue streams is a kind of disaster politicking
 
TrickyRicky said:
The budget hole is temporary due to low probability unforeseen events. The solution is making one-time exceptions or accommodations not to make structural reforms. We can talk about new revenue streams or in general taxation levels moving forward but using the pandemic as an excuse to institute reoccurring revenue streams is a kind of disaster politicking
Click to expand...
I am not sure I agree with you that the prime aim is to get MORE tax money - I think it is (and should be) to get necessary tax $$ in a fairer and easier way. Improving our tax system has been a cry for decades and, as they say, 'don't waste a good crisis".
 
DSC said:
I am not sure I agree with you that the prime aim is to get MORE tax money - I think it is (and should be) to get necessary tax $$ in a fairer and easier way. Improving our tax system has been a cry for decades and, as they say, 'don't waste a good crisis".
Click to expand...
I wouldn't mind Toronto taxing business progressively, like Seattle just voted in...

www.cnbc.com

Seattle passes payroll tax targeting Amazon and other big businesses

The JumpStart Tax is a blow to Amazon, which fought the passage of a so-called head tax in 2018 via a well-financed referendum campaign alongside other Seattle businesses.
www.cnbc.com www.cnbc.com
 
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