In lieu of my yearly saunter down into the Don Valley to take snaps of the changing colours of the leaves, I decided instead to do something a little different. Me and a friend climbed over 50 floors in order to gain a more holistic view of fall in Toronto.

As opposed to my usual spread for the season -- macro shots of the red, yellow and green hues, with the usual smattering of twigs, branches and joggers in the background -- I was able instead to appreciate the not-so-greenery from an incredible height.

Photo: "Carpet of Fallen Leaves" by Bobcatnorth, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Given our dire financial state, should Toronto introduce a municipal sales tax? Other large cities in North America do it, so perhaps we should consider it. The idea of paying more taxes for goods and services when we're already taxed to the extent we are really hurts, but it could be a solution to some of our biggest problems (like our grossly underfunded transit system).

We expected a TTC fare hike to be proposed, but I don't think anyone thought that the monthly Metropass would go from $109 to $126 (an almost 16% hike). Doing the math reveals that Metropass holders would have to ride the rocket a minimum of twice daily on 6 days of the week, in order to make the per ride fare less than the cost of tokens. Where's the savings for the most frequent transit users?

Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors players got H1N! flu vaccinations from their team doctors. But are they in high risk groups? (I know they're high risk for not making the playoffs again, but that doesn't count.) Should they have had to wait like the rest of us, especially given the inevitable shortage of vaccine supply?

Facing another operating deficit, the TTC has predicted a $100 million shortfall for 2010. Nine city councillors are set to discuss the matter in a meeting now scheduled for Nov. 17. The remaining six-week period would give the commission just enough time to implement a fare hike for the New Year.

For every $0.25 increase in fare, the TTC raises roughly $45 million. TTC Chairman, Councillor Adam Giambrone, says that the current fare of $2.75 won't be increased to four or five dollars because that would "not [be] good for riders". But, I won't be surprised if I find myself throwing a Toonie, Loonie, and maybe even a quarter in the fare box in the near future.

The fight to save Toronto's architectural heritage is a bitter one; passion is often the sole remaining motivation for so many fighters on the front line of this endless battle. This is a good thing, because it quickly becomes plain that reason and common sense don't stand a chance, especially in a system that's become increasingly stacked against them.

Over two years ago, a notice was put up in the window of a building on King Street East in Toronto's old downtown that a developer was seeking city permission to erect a condo on the site. This was the beginning of a battle for Robert Cishecki that continues to this day. A real estate broker and local resident, he's collected signatures and started a website to publicize the cause of forcing the city to enforce its own bylaws.

Photo: "60 Havelock St. #01" by Michael Pierro, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Toronto's capital budget for 2010 will focus largely on transit initiatives including spending $217.6 million on new subway cars (nice, but crucial?), dedicating $72 million for new buses (much needed, in my opinion), and injecting $22.6 million for new bike lanes (which will make cycling advocates happy and drivers unhappy) . We're also likely to see a TTC fare hike in the New Year.

Given that the 2010 race for mayor is still a long ways away, it's not surprising that an early poll (PDF) shows almost half of Torontonians undecided on which would-be candidate they'd support. It's also not surprising that John Tory leads in polling, given that he's able to campaign daily on the radio.

Police in Etobicoke are warning residents about a con involving a couple of "non-citizens" who claim that they're unable to collect lottery winnings due to their status. I know most astute people wouldn't take strangers they just met in a bus shelter to an ATM and give them $18,000... but it did happen to one very unfortunate senior.

Photo: "Rub my belly" by Daifuku Sensei, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

The morning commute in the Toronto area (which is never fun) may be even less fun than usual, given that a hundred truckers are planning to take to the roads in protest of the ongoing DriveTest strike. The strike has been in effect since August, preventing new truck drivers from getting licensed.

The City of Toronto is opening its data doors, so to speak. In an effort to increase transparency and improve information flow, a web site containing data on public transit, parks and recreation, daycare facilities, and more has been made available for the first time in such an open way. I suspect it won't be long before he public finds creative uses and applications of the data.

CP24 will be launching a new monthly talk show called "On the Rocket"... live from on board a TTC streetcar, with TTC Chair Adam Giambrone fielding rider questions and comments. Providing the public with access to this kind of interaction with a personable official from our loved and loathed transit system is a great idea and should fit the TV format nicely.