Rob Ford's Toronto

[malvern2]

I'm quite open to numerous ways of generating cash when it comes to subway in this city. Personally I’m not against raising taxes or implementing tolls if they were dedicated to improving transit. If you want to talk fiscally responsible then explain how you can defend council voting against Ford when it comes to selling off community houses that could provide much needed dollars to repair to existing buildings or having council protect cleaners that make 60k a year when the work can be done much cheaper with non-union workers.

 

[cdr108]

I'm quite open to numerous ways of generating cash when it comes to subway in this city. Personally I’m not against raising taxes or implementing tolls if they were dedicated to improving transit. If you want to talk fiscally responsible then explain how you can defend council voting against Ford when it comes to selling off community houses that could provide much needed dollars to repair to existing buildings or having council protect cleaners that make 60k a year when the work can be done much cheaper with non-union workers.

please substantiate that claim and not use a RF quote ... a city of TO HR listing is more dependable.

and i repeat, according to Dr. Gordon Chong's report which was 'commissioned' by RF et al, it would be 50 years with all the various financing possibilities AND still be $1 BILLION short. while you may not against raising taxes or implementing tolls, RF doesn't want to implement any of the above, so where's the $$$ ???

PLUS, RF's proposed subway still does not service anything east of McCowan vs. the LRT plan that goes to Meadowvale. So to do the same amount of coverage, the real bill will probably $10 Billion.

Last edited by cdr108; Today at 14:00.

 

[malvern2]

City staff said city cleaners are paid about $26 an hour, or $32 when benefits are factored in, which amounts to about $49,000 a year, or $64,000 with benefits. The market rate is about $17 an hour.....Thats taken from a National Post article, i can provide the link if you would like crd108. I understand you'd like to pick apart everything i say but i think where i see this as a debate most of you see it as something more personal which is pretty sad.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I'm quite open to numerous ways of generating cash when it comes to subway in this city. Personally I’m not against raising taxes or implementing tolls if they were dedicated to improving transit.

Sooo... you don't agree with Ford on subways. Thanks for clearing that up, since, due to the tone of your very pro-Ford posts, you seemed to be pro-Ford. On subways. Which he will not pay for with tax hikes or other tolls.

Therefore, it seems you and I agree that the LRT plan, funded without tax hikes or going outside the provincial outlay, while providing the most transit riders with the best transit, is a fabulous plan and ultimately pro-fiscal conservative Toronto taxpayer.

I'm glad we agree on so much! ;-)

 

[cdr108]

how is this personal? you mean when i don't agree with comments by RF that aren't based on facts?

a debate is supported by facts, not heresay.

many news agencies don't even verify the numbers, just use what's been quoted by city staff and the like.
similarly was done when RF when on about the supposed budget deficit that was left by Miller, when in fact it was a surplus.
but article after article quoted made up numbers by RF and the gang.

 

[ttk77]

The transit fiasco is truly messed up. We have centrists and lefties arguing for the most pragmatic fiscally prudent option while we have traditionally right-wing folks advocating a tax-and-spend approach. I don't think I've ever been this confused by Toronto politics.

 

[toto]

I love how you Ford bashers ignore the $285 million dollar surplus. Proper fiscal policy may not be your concern but for the majority of Torontonians who voted for him it sure is. I'm glad to see there is someone out there handling business and not wasting tax payer money. Make fun of him all you want the man is getting re-elected and I am sure it will be by an even by margin of victory then before.

Most of this surplus is thanks to Mayor Miller's Land Transfer Tax. The tax Ford said he was going to get rid of. Take the LTT amount out of the surplus and you'd get a number that would be one ofthe smallest surplus' Toronto has had since amalgamation. Ford might be able to fool those not interested enough to look at the facts, but the rest of usm, aren't so easily fooled. And let's not forget that less than a year ago he was screaming about a $770 million deficit. Way off. Why? Because he either lied, is stupid or both!

 

[Paleo]

Personally I think subways are the answer. Personally I would have preferred the Eglinton LRT to be buried, and when it comes time to vote I’ll make that known but wow you guys scream and rant about Ford not treating people with respect and equality, yet when someone comes on this board and makes a statement that you don’t agree with the accusations and comments made by the same memebers are quite disappointing and rude.

You say you'd pay for it but you would vote for the guy who steadfastly refuses to put up. You're not a shill. Gotcha.

What is it with (faux) "conservatives" that want to spend huge amounts of money that we don't have, to build things that we don't need, to move people that don't exist, to places that nobody wants to go to?

 

[BurlOak]

PLUS, RF's proposed subway still does not service anything east of McCowan vs. the LRT plan that goes to Meadowvale. So to do the same amount of coverage, the real bill will probably $10 Billion.

The coverage arguement does not hold water. That means we never build the DRL since it is quite expensive per km. It would be much better to build LRT on every arterial road since it would provide "coverage".

 

[Automation Gallery]

I understand you'd like to pick apart everything i say but i think where i see this as a debate most of you see it as something more personal which is pretty sad.

Sad indeed, and sooner or later malvern2 you will find out, that your wasting your time with some of these elitists on this thread

 

[gristle]

Anyone who suggests that Ford is in any way responsible for the $285 million surplus is exposing their ignorance. This is the same mayor who was squawking about a $500 or even $700 million deficit not all that long ago.

That's not picking anything a part, and it certainly isn't any silly and empty claim of elitism; it is a cold hard fact.

 

[jje1000]

The coverage arguement does not hold water. That means we never build the DRL since it is quite expensive per km. It would be much better to build LRT on every arterial road since it would provide "coverage".

You forgot about the capacity aspect. A LRT is not a good fit for the DRL because of the estimated demand along the route (new north-south route, diverts traffic off of Bloor), while it is for Sheppard, where the number of riders have failed to show up (it is a branch route feeding into the Yonge line).

 

[cdr108]

The coverage arguement does not hold water. That means we never build the DRL since it is quite expensive per km. It would be much better to build LRT on every arterial road since it would provide "coverage".

i'm not arguing about coverage.
i'm bringing up the issue that the sheppard subway vs. LRT isn't being fully understood.

i've been to 2 town hall meetings and i'd say 80% of those there do not realize that the subway proposal only covers to STC vs. the LRT plan that goes to Meadowvale.

so when the figures about subway vs. LRT costs 'only' 4x more isn't correct.

the more accurate figure should be based on the same destinations >>> point A to point C;
not point A to point B vs. point A to point C.

 

[adma]

Oh, I can't resist...

I don’t think Stintz would be the answer, a lot of residents won’t ever forgive her for what she did along Sheppard. I think she'd be an easy target for the those in the burbs to mobilize against. I honestly don’t think there is anyone from the current crop that really inspires, because of that I think Torontonians will probably re-elect Ford quiet easily.

*TEABONICS ALERT*
*TEABONICS ALERT*
*TEABONICS ALERT"

Ah, if malvern2 were talking about architecture rather than about politics, he'd be defending stuff like this from those who seek to bash it

 

[nfitz]

I love how you Ford bashers ignore the $285 million dollar surplus.

Hang on. Ford criticized Miller endlessly back in 2010 for a similar size surplus, accusing him of gross incompetency for not having the budget right in the first place.

Surely it's rather hypocritical to then applaud Ford, for something which is merely a systemic failure in the city's budgeting methodology.