Rob Ford's Toronto

[AlvinofDiaspar]

For everyone's benefit:

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/01/17/mushy-middle-willing-accomplices

Sounding even more arrogant than I remember, Josh Colle proposed that $15-million be snatched from the $154-million surplus and plunked back into all of the programs that have kept the professional protesters and union self-preservationists busy lobbying, e-mailing and marching in feigned horror for months.

Funny, considering how Sue-Ann Levy approaches everything in her column, she would be the one to speak on the matter bolded in the quote.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/01/16/levy-some-councillors-buckling-under-pressure

Holyday’s advice to his colleagues is to “stand tall” and deal with the fiscal realities now, instead of putting them off to some future date as regimes have done in the past.
“The (city’s) financial problems have to be addressed,” he said. “The problems are definitely not going away ... they will probably get worse.”

And the first thing to do when addressing financial problems is to remove revenue sources.

AoD

 

[GraphicMatt]

nfitz:

Personally I am surprised Stintz didn't defect much (if at all) and toed the party line to the bitter end- bet she is squirming left right and centre during the votes. I can see her jumping ship eventually - as it stands right now it's heading straight for the berg.

And where is Ron Moeser? He missed ALL the votes!

AoD

Thanks for the link!

Moeser's in the hospital with some pretty serious medical issues. He's expected to recover and we wish him the best. (Thankfully, his vote --- probably supporting the mayor -- wouldn't have made a difference on most of the major items yesterday. Would have cheapened things a lot.)

Stintz is a weird one. She presides over a ward that voted pretty solidly for Smitherman. There does't seem to be a huge upside to her continued support for Ford.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

GraphicMatt:

Nah, thanks for all the work you've done instead.

re: Stintz

The only "benefit" I can think of is exposure - specifically exposure as the Chair of the TTC, which when played well can provide substantial name recognition for future political aspirations. But of course, it can also blow up in her face considering the volatility of the file - and the fact that it will be the lightening rod for the public's wrath when budgets and services get cut.

AoD

 

[W. K. Lis]

Josh Colle for Mayor?

 

[toraerach]

Speaking of mushy middle, the "Cut The Waist" thing is strictly face-saving stuff and I wish it was being paid less attention, although I loved Rick Mercer's one-liner about it (i.e. will the mayor will become irritable and cranky on the diet - LOL - it would be hard to tell a difference).

I don't know how well it's working as a face-saving exercise. I have not heard one person profess their admiration for the mayor in public. I have, however, heard a few dozen fat jokes while sitting on the subway. As noble as the goal may or may not be, the way Ford has approached it has only played into the idea that he is a thoroughly ridiculous man - a character to ridicule and nothing more. Personally, I don't find the jokes to be in particularly good taste (though far less offensive than the domestic abuse jokes I was hearing over the last week or two), but they do point to the fact that people have absolutely no respect for the Mayor. That's what people will remember when we go to the polls in a few years, not some silly publicity stunt.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Opinion piece by Marcus Gee:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...celebrate-torontos-budget-win/article2306575/

He was elected with a clear mandate to rein in the ever-rising cost of government. He ordered a sweeping review of spending, vowing to spare no sacred cows. He paid outside experts to pore over every dime of expenditure. He invited the public to join in through months of consultations, surveys and all-night hearings.

He was elected on the mandate of reining in suggested wastage and perks - and explicitly without service cuts. Kind of disingenuous to rewrite history.
And yes, no sacred cows - except the special dispensation for the biggest budget item - the cops.

AoD

 

[nfitz]

I don't know how well it's working as a face-saving exercise. I have not heard one person profess their admiration for the mayor in public. I have, however, heard a few dozen fat jokes while sitting on the subway.

The other thing that crossed my mind, is if Ford had tried to hit the budget hard - as he has succeeded to do on many issues - but maintain his promise of not cutting services - he'd be pretty much where he is at today budget-wise. But he'd actually look very good. It's his attempt to kill library hours, pools, recreations centres, snow shovelling, etc., etc., etc. ... that hurt him - and he hasn't even succeeded.

 

[MetroMan]

Someone asked him how he felt about those councillors who often support him who decided to vote for the ammendments, and his response was something to the effect of -- Putting money in front of them is like putting food in front of dogs. They can't control themselves.

Wow. He said that? .... I don't even know why I'm surprised, but that's not going to help him get back any support in council. Yikes.

I can already hear the offended councillor's snapping back upon hearing that: "Putting food in front of Rob Ford is like putting food in front of dogs. He just can't help himself"

 

[ttk77]

Wow. He said that? .... I don't even know why I'm surprised, but that's not going to help him get back any support in council. Yikes.

I can already hear the offended councillor's snapping back upon hearing that: "Putting food in front of Rob Ford is like putting food in front of dogs. He just can't help himself"

Yeah...I was kind of shocked at first when I heard it, but then not so much when I remembered who was speaking.

The exact quote can be found in the following article. I didn't remember it exactly right, but close enough.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/17/toronto-budget-debate.html?cmp=rss

 

[Lenser]

Mr. Ford is not exactly known for filtering his thoughts before speaking. Sadly. His supporters call that "straight shooting." Others might be excused for thinking of his mouth as being akin to a blunderbuss.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

Let's not forget that this isn't the first time Rob Ford has said a group of people are "like dogs"; the last time he said it (about "Orientals") he says he meant it as a compliment.

And then he was elected mayor of Toronto...

 

[gabe]

Occupy protesters camp out near at City Hall http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1117572--occupy-protesters-camp-out-near-city-hall?bn=1

Two months after they were evicted from St. James Park, a small faction of the Occupy Toronto movement have resumed their camp-out protest, this time parking tents near City Hall.

But the two dozen protesters shivering under blankets and huddling in tents Wednesday were unsure how long their movement’s revival would last; according to protesters, officials from nearby Osgoode Hall and the Ontario courthouse at 361 University Ave. issued them verbal notice to vacate the premises.

“We told them they’re going to have to give us an eviction notice in writing,” said Occupy Toronto member Ian Smart.

The encampment was in solidarity with Stop The Cuts, a movement protesting Mayor Rob Ford’s austerity measures, and was erected Tuesday night following the budget debate that prompted a heated clash between police and hundreds of protesters.

Tents were originally set up just outside City Hall, but the group later moved west of Nathan Phillips Square to a clearing between Osgoode Hall and the courthouse.

Speaking on television Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Rob Ford declared that protesters would be forced to leave, just as they were evicted from St. James Park after their 39-day encampment last fall.

But Bill Moore, with Infrastructure Ontario, confirmed Wednesday that protesters are on provincial, not city, land.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation and are currently reviewing options and next steps in responding to the demonstrators,” Moore said in an email to the Star.

Following the Tuesday night protest at City Hall, police arrested four men on charges of obstructing a peace officer, unlawful assembly and mischief.

 

[gristle]

Let's not forget that this isn't the first time Rob Ford has said a group of people are "like dogs"; the last time he said it (about "Orientals") he says he meant it as a compliment.

And then he was elected mayor of Toronto...

Stop please. You are depressing me.

 

[Eug]

When I read The Star headlines, I thought "Holy sh!t! They defeated the budget!". Then I read the article and thought, "WTF is The Star talking about?".

I guess restoring $19 million is a symbolic victory for the anti-Ford group, but it almost seems like some are missing the forest for the trees, considering that the budget was actually passed, with far larger cuts than $19 million.

The other thing that crossed my mind, is if Ford had tried to hit the budget hard - as he has succeeded to do on many issues - but maintain his promise of not cutting services - he'd be pretty much where he is at today budget-wise. But he'd actually look very good. It's his attempt to kill library hours, pools, recreations centres, snow shovelling, etc., etc., etc. ... that hurt him - and he hasn't even succeeded.

I'd agree with that. I'm wondering though how many really campaigning for keeping those pools or whatever open would have voted for him anyway in the next election.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

When I read The Star headlines, I thought "Holy sh!t! They defeated the budget!". Then I read the article and thought, "WTF is The Star talking about?".

I guess restoring $19 million is a symbolic victory for the anti-Ford group, but it almost seems like some are missing the forest for the trees, considering that the budget was actually passed, with far larger cuts than $19 million.

It's certainly not all roses. Here's some of the "gravy" that got cut - http://www.thestar.com/news/cityhallpolitics/article/1117709--what-got-cut-in-toronto-s-2012-budget