Rob Ford's Toronto

[ttk77]

Increasing sin tax to me sounds like a way to dump the cost to someone else instead of paying for what an average person should have been paying in the first place. Everyone benefit from transit expansion - the tax should be reflective of such.

AoD

I agree. I was just theorizing on how to make that kind of tax work while minimizing the additional administrative charges.

 

[TorontoDoh]

Is Ford's press conference delayed? Is he scrambling to figure out a backup plan since this report shows that he was wrong yet again?

 

[Tulse]

personally I would tie any tax increase/new taxes into the debate about raising money for expansion in general.

Sure, my preference would be to approve revenue tools that would allow for long-term, continual capital improvements and expansion. But we may not get that in one go.

Besides, it gives you know who an out - once Scarborough got the subway, any further property tax increase would be framed as "downtown special interest" all over again.

If you can get Ford to sign on for any tax increase, you're 95% of the way there. The current problem is political resistance to any revenue tools -- once that hurdle is past, things politically become much more possible.

Besides, the next major project would likely be the Relief Line, and that would be even more beneficial to Scarborough if it is just one subway transfer away. Heck, sell the DRL as the Scarborough Get-To-Work-Fast Line...

 

[TorontoDoh]

Ford is such a dunce

He is glad the report says subways in Scarb. is possible but doesn't agree with how to pay for it..........he is so full of shit

 

[bobbob911]

If you can get Ford to sign on for any tax increase, you're 95% of the way there. The current problem is political resistance to any revenue tools -- once that hurdle is past, things politically become much more possible.

Well good news then - Rob Ford agrees to a .25% tax increase to fund the subway. Ponies for everyone!

 

[W. K. Lis]

City Manager report is out for the B/D extension. The recommendation is a 1.1% - 2.4% tax increase over the next three years to fund it.

Your move, Rob Ford.

The report says:

Commit to funding the City's share of the cost of construction of a Scarborough Subway by:

(a) Directing the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to prepare a Development Charge By-law to include the City's share of capital costs in respect of the Scarborough Subway project for Council consideration in 2014

(b) Requesting the Province of Ontario to make appropriate amendments to the Development Charges Act for the purposes of the Scarborough Subway Project similar to those made by the Province for the Toronto York Spadina Subway Extension project

(c) Requesting the Federal Government to contribute Toronto's fair share of federal funding under the P3 Canada Fund, the Building Canada Fund and all other available sources of federal funding for the construction of the Scarborough Subway.

(d) Committing to a property tax increase over three years, dedicated to funding a Scarborough Subway, in an amount between 1.1% and 2.4% (depending upon the amount of funding received through Recommendations B(2)(a) and (c)), on the residential property class, and 1/3 of such a rate increase on the non-residential property classes (in accordance with current City policy), starting with a minimum tax rate increase in 2014 of 0.5% on the residential property class, together with the corresponding 1/3 rate increase on the non-residential property classes, with the balance of the residential and non-residential three year rate increase to be phased-in in the years 2015 and 2016.​

The key word is "dedicated", excluding any other increases, such as allowing for inflation.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

bobbob911:

re: 0.25% - In my hell, there is a special place for people who can't do math properly.

Tulse:

Besides, the next major project would likely be the Relief Line, and that would be even more beneficial to Scarborough if it is just one subway transfer away. Heck, sell the DRL as the Scarborough Get-To-Work-Fast Line...

You are assuming that his modus operandi is improved transit - my assumption is that subways are for votes. Hence my insistence that everything is tied to long-term revenue tools. No one-offs, no ad-hoc solutions, no let's fund it with debt and deal with it later - you want subway, you vote on tax increases that sticks.

AoD

 

[Tulse]

re: 0.25% - In my hell, there is a special place for people who can't do math properly.

What's the issue? According to Ford, that tax will bring in $5 per household! Surely $5-10 million a year is sufficient to build a subway, right?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Tulse: Makes me wonder if he actually wanted to lose the vote - no subways = clear enemies in the next municipal election, plus stick it to the Liberals in the by-election, etc.

AoD

 

[jje1000]

Expect an angry beet red face blathering about private sector money fairies and how he won't support a tax increase to pay for it.

Followed by the 'retirement' of Pennachetti and the addition of three more Ford Fests in Scarborough.

 

[Tulse]

Tulse: Makes me wonder if he actually wanted to lose the vote - no subways = clear enemies in the next municipal election, plus stick it to the Liberals in the by-election, etc.

Perhaps, but it's also caused him to say some very silly things, such as the province has to give Scarborough $1.8 billion for the project, while city residents should only pay $5 a household in tax increase. I would think that only those who are deep in the grip of Ford Nation psychosis would be able to make sense of that.

Speaking of which:

Looks like Ford got Scarborough its subway...another major coup, especially after all the Ford haters said it couldn’t be done, re-election is in the bag.

How's that workin' out for ya?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Tulse:

Perhaps, but it's also caused him to say some very silly things, such as the province has to give Scarborough $1.8 billion for the project, while city residents should only pay $5 a household in tax increase. I would think that only those who are deep in the grip of Ford Nation psychosis would be able to make sense of that.

Of course, which is all the more important for the province to provide a rebuttal to this BS. In fact, I would probably make as much drama out of it as possible. And of course, who knows what that meeting with Jim Flaherty is about...

jje:

Oh no worries, his office had a turnover of what, 30+% by now I think.

AoD

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Oh and from Twitter:

Don Peat ‏@reporterdonpeat 1m

PC candidate Doug Holyday says he will get the Bloor-Danforth line extension to Sherway Gardens added to list of priority projects #TOpoli
___

Isn't THAT nice?

AoD

 

[junior43]

Technically, Ford is right, you CAN get a subway for just $5

 

[Tee]

Technically, Ford is right, you CAN get a subway for just $5

Verra clever, LOL