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Rob Ford's Toronto

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ibhattac said:
Looks like Dialysis is a form of gravy. Tasty, tasty renal failure gravy.

Page 18.
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That's ridiculous, a lot of people on dialysis go 3/4 times a week, are they expected to take a 30 dollar cab ride every time? or perhaps they are to struggle to navigate a ttc route while their electrolytes are about to go out of whack from their lack of kidney function.

Ford fails to grasp the big picture, also on that page is the deferral of hiring a whopping 36 new paramedics. There's a reason our department has the largest absentee rate and the highest overtime costs, people are burnt out, and getting injured from being overworked. Like so many things he doesn't understand that making investments is the best way to lower costs in the long run.
 
Too be fair to Ford I think holding the line on spending is not only an accomplishment but one that we need to repeat for many years to come. However, capital asset sales should not be used to plug operating budgets. The proceeds of land or capital sales should go directly into municipal infrastructure investments.

I support increase spending on transit and other specific infrastructure investments but we need to draw the line on operating budgets period. Whatever you may think of Ford (and I am a huge critic) the one thing he is bang on about is that the city simply employs too many people and spends too much on the personel it has. It is essential that we hold the line. Perhaps Ford's manufactured crisis and bulldog tactics are not the best way to go about this funamental reality but this does not change the fact that it has to be done.
 
DanTheMan said:
That's ridiculous, a lot of people on dialysis go 3/4 times a week, are they expected to take a 30 dollar cab ride every time? or perhaps they are to struggle to navigate a ttc route while their electrolytes are about to go out of whack from their lack of kidney function.
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I've been paying for no-good freeloading dialysis patients all along? Thank goodness someone had the good sense to put this service out to pasture. Take the bus you bums!
 
TrickyRicky said:
Too be fair to Ford I think holding the line on spending is not only an accomplishment but one that we need to repeat for many years to come. However, capital asset sales should not be used to plug operating budgets. The proceeds of land or capital sales should go directly into municipal infrastructure investments.

I support increase spending on transit and other specific infrastructure investments but we need to draw the line on operating budgets period. Whatever you may think of Ford (and I am a huge critic) the one thing he is bang on about is that the city simply employs too many people and spends too much on the personel it has. It is essential that we hold the line. Perhaps Ford's manufactured crisis and bulldog tactics are not the best way to go about this funamental reality but this does not change the fact that it has to be done.
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Agreed that the spending needs to be brought back under control but it would have been easier to accept if he treated everyone equally with respect instead of intimidation with a side of strong-arming topped with fabrications. With all that so-called experience at City Hall, he is still completely clueless on running the city.
 
cgguy said:
I've been paying for no-good freeloading dialysis patients all along? Thank goodness someone had the good sense to put this service out to pasture. Take the bus you bums!
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Why do that, when you can just wait until you're unconscious then have someone dial 911! But even that is $45
 
TrickyRicky said:
Too be fair to Ford I think holding the line on spending is not only an accomplishment but one that we need to repeat for many years to come. However, capital asset sales should not be used to plug operating budgets. The proceeds of land or capital sales should go directly into municipal infrastructure investments.
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How exactly did he "hold the line" on spending? Property taxes up 2.5% (I'm not complaining about this, but its about in line with Miller-era tax hikes), 80M raided from the rainy day fund, 10-cent TTC fare increase... everything about this budget feels exactly like it could have come from the Miller era. Which IMO is good! but it just puts lie to the idea that there was a spending crisis or any of the bullshit Rob Ford has been trying to sell.

By the way where did you see any specifics on land sales being used to fund the 2012 budget? There were words to that effect in the Toronto Star article but I didnt see this in the budget presentation.
 
bobbob911 said:
How exactly did he "hold the line" on spending? Property taxes up 2.5% (I'm not complaining about this, but its about in line with Miller-era tax hikes), 80M raided from the rainy day fund, 10-cent TTC fare increase... everything about this budget feels exactly like it could have come from the Miller era. Which IMO is good! but it just puts lie to the idea that there was a spending crisis or any of the bullshit Rob Ford has been trying to sell.

By the way where did you see any specifics on land sales being used to fund the 2012 budget? There were words to that effect in the Toronto Star article but I didnt see this in the budget presentation.
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Isn't the sale of Enwave and partial sale of Toronto Hydro in there? Then there are the no-bid, no-cash, no-risk contracts being awarded by BuildToronto (10 York is only the first of the new model).
 
I don't see it. The only line item I see related to Hydro is $15M dividends on pg 25. There is a $45M "Other revenue" line item but I would expect one-time revenue to be broken out and itemized very specifically.
 
TrickyRicky said:
Too be fair to Ford I think holding the line on spending is not only an accomplishment but one that we need to repeat for many years to come. However, capital asset sales should not be used to plug operating budgets. The proceeds of land or capital sales should go directly into municipal infrastructure investments.

I support increase spending on transit and other specific infrastructure investments but we need to draw the line on operating budgets period. Whatever you may think of Ford (and I am a huge critic) the one thing he is bang on about is that the city simply employs too many people and spends too much on the personel it has. It is essential that we hold the line. Perhaps Ford's manufactured crisis and bulldog tactics are not the best way to go about this funamental reality but this does not change the fact that it has to be done.
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Two questions:

(1) Is it reasonable to hold the line on spending in a growing city below inflation/population growth?

(2) How does operating cost not go up with increased infrastructure?
 
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I can't find which document explains exactly what Ford has in mind when he talks about "monetization". Anyone know?

Previously, Ford has explicitly cited Enwave, Toronto Parking, Toronto Hydro and city-owned land as examples of city asset "monetizations" he was considering. These 2012 budget-related documents make extensive reference to "monetization" and its impact on the budget, but I can't find a reference to the specific (i.e. "budgeted") form such monetizations will entail.
 
Ford's press secretary leaving.

Mayor Rob Ford’s press secretary, Adrienne Batra, has resigned to become the Toronto Sun’s comment editor and a municipal affairs correspondent with Newstalk1010.

Her last day is Friday.

“I want to thank Mayor Ford and all of my colleagues for such a unique experience at City Hall,” Batra said in a news release (which she wrote) from the mayor’s office. “It has been a real privilege to work in the Office of the Mayor.”
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