Next Mayor of Toronto?

[Fac1]

I love the suburban discontent with taxes. Half of the raging suburbanites seem to think HST was Miller's doing.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

if you really think about it, some of what is being blamed on miller is in reality what can be attributed to amalgamation. QOS went down in the burbs pre-miller. miller gave us back increased bus service and was in the process of giving us a shitload of rapid transit, etc..

i have a feeling that ford is gonna fuck the burbs like harris cutbacks did.

 

[Eug]

I love the suburban discontent with taxes. Half of the raging suburbanites seem to think HST was Miller's doing.

No, but the land transfer tax was. One shouldn't be surprised that both city core dwellers and suburbanites didn't like that very much.

BTW, I'm a little taken aback by all the angst about the word "choice". I wonder if it has to do with the commonly held misconception that one is necessarily born "gay" or "straight". That seems to be the TV-show fad interpretation of sexual orientation. Sure, there are lots of people at the extreme ends of the spectrum, but it is a spectrum, and for anyone in-between (eg. the sometimes bi or the usually bi), there is some level of "choice" in it, and thankfully in 2010 the leading candidates (including both Ford and Smitherman) can accept that choice.

In the meantime... Straight male here living in sin with my partner by choice.

 

[Fac1]

No, but the land transfer tax was.

And property taxes are still lower than the rest of the GTA. You can also thank Miller for increasing bus service throughout the suburban areas of Toronto. Have fun when Ford cuts those routes to the bone.

 

[Eug]

And property taxes are still lower than the rest of the GTA.

Not really. The mill rate is lower, but not necessarily property taxes. Toronto can get away with a lower mill rate because of the high property values. Supporters of Miller and Pantalone always seem to leave out this little point for whatever reason.

What people are pissed about (and one reason Joe is doing so poorly) is that the desire to cut costs was not present in the Miller reign.

 

[GraphicMatt]

Bull. Did you know that non-union salaries have been frozen for the last couple of years? That any department manager must get approval from on high to replace anyone who leaves/retires? That last summer's strike ended with the city getting all the significant terms they set out to get in the beginning, a concession that will save significant amounts of money in the long-term?

You can claim that Miller didn't do enough to keep costs down, sure, but to say that nothing was done just isn't true.

I think the Land Transfer Tax is a good tax, certainly better than a property tax hike. It's fair to first-time buyers, discourages flipping and, really, is a tax most people will only pay a handful of times in their life (at most). How has it affected you negatively?

 

[BobBob]

It should also be said that the LTT disproportionately taxes the downtown, because of the higher density of transactions and generally higher property values.

I think a lot of this suburban anger must come from having watched the downtown booming over the last several years, contrasting that with stagnating inner suburbs, and blaming some perceived downtown elite. In reality, the city has invested disproportionately in the suburbs, and the downtown boom is mostly fueled by private money. At least that's my feeling, and if I'm right, a Ford victory will probably only exacerbate the polarization...

 

[taal]

I'm also really curious ... how are the suburbs doing bad exactly ... we've seen condo growth in NYCC / SCC - and really scattered throughout other pockets ... so that's happened throughout Toronto.

There are some 'bad' neighbourhoods - but this is normal and expected - Miller attempted / is attempting to remedy that. The one thing the subrbs can complain about - but they're not as they don't understand the real issues, is job growth! Or the lack there of - that, while is private in nature, is do to the 'public' tax rates which are the same throughout the city (but don't effect donwtown nearly as much as land touching the 905).

 

[Eug]

Bull. Did you know that non-union salaries have been frozen for the last couple of years?

Bingo. The prevailing feeling - and I think there is some truth to that, is that the mayor and city council have repeatedly caved to unions' demands.

 

[syn]

I think a lot of Panatlone supporters will panic and vote for Smitherman.

This is a really depressing election; if there was a worthy candidate there's no way Smitherman would get my vote either. Pantalone seemed like a good candidate for a while, but after watching some debates he doesn't seem like a great fit either.

I hope in 4 years we have some real choices. Whoever wins, I think the city is really gonig to miss Miller.

 

[ladyscraper]

Almost every single person I know is voting Pantalone. They were angry at me for strategically voting and said they would never do the same.
I have a feeling that this is gonna be a landslide victory for Ford.

I can't believe people in the suburbs are complaining. Miller tried to give you some transit city lines and Ford says he'll cut them all even though they are heavily provincially funded. Now THAT is looking out for the suburbs!

 

[MetroMan]

Thought the homophobic ads were bad? I have a relatively centre/left friend who voted for Ford only because she didn't want a Jewish guy to become Mayor. Smitherman is Jewish?

 

[ladyscraper]

Thought the homophobic ads were bad? I have a relatively centre/left friend who voted for Ford only because she didn't want a Jewish guy to become Mayor. Smitherman is Jewish?

She said she didn't want a Jewish mayor? You should have said "at least he's not a woman"

 

[MammaB]

Well, this is the only place on the internet that seems to hold out any hope for a Smitherman victory - hope you're right, can't believe that anybody who has listened to Rob Ford could vote for the guy.

 

[Dilla]

Thought the homophobic ads were bad? I have a relatively centre/left friend who voted for Ford only because she didn't want a Jewish guy to become Mayor. Smitherman is Jewish?

Dude, if you need some new friends (and it sounds like you do), we can hangout whenever.