City
Morning Brew: 2010 Operating Budget Fee Hikes and Service Cuts, Provincial Funding of TTC, Feline Cesspool in Etobicoke, Whole Foods Expansion, Mounting Household Debt
Photo: "Let our lap dancers..." by Loozrboy, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
The City of Toronto's operating budget was launched yesterday, and as expected, there will be fee hikes including a 4% property tax increase, minimum $350 billing for false alarm calls that result in emergency response, and a one-time $50 fee to register children in City-run recreation programs. There will also be service cuts, including reduced hours at city courts and libraries, reduced overtime work hours and bylaw enforcement, and hiring freezes. According to Mayor Miller, city assets won't be sold, but "you can't have a great city for free." (See embedded videos below). Most of the declared mayoral candidates have weighed in on the budget issue in armchair quarterback style.
When will we see the City and Province deal with the problem of the grossly underfunded TTC? Maybe next year. Talks are ongoing, and hopefully we'll see a renewed commitment from the provincial government to put more money into our lagging and struggling transit system.
How anyone could let things get so out of control is the question. An elderly woman and her adult daughter, living together in an Etobicoke bungalow, shared the space with 28 cats (along with thousands of cockroaches and a staggering amount of festering urine and feces). After repeated attempts, the Humane Society finally gained entry and removed the animals. No charges are pending, but if you ask me, someone needs a serious head check.
Organic supermarket chain Whole Foods plans to double its presence in the GTA by adding two new stores: one in Square One shopping centre in Mississauga, and one in North York's Hullmark Centre. The move comes as larger, more ubiquitous chains like Loblaw and Sobeys move to increase their downtown markets, primarily on the form of boutique stores in condominium-dense areas.
Canadians like to spend. Too much. Even through periods of recession. The average household debt in 2009 was over $96,000, and the ratio of debt-to-income stood at 1.45 - the highest recorded in the 11 years the Vanier Institute of the Family has been compiling this data. How these folks are going to send their kids to university is a concern, and will likely spell more debt for young people as they require loans to finance their schooling. Rinse, repeat.
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Mayor Miller's opening comments at the Toronto 2010 Operating Budget Launch:
Discussion
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have squandered their inheritances in less than a year.
Absolutely squandered . . .nothing to show of it.
It must be endemic to the 50+ set.
They're so ready to take money away from the children (and their parents), charging for them to go swimming, raising the costs of summer camps and charging a new fee for families to even join these recreational activities.. And then at the same time they still want to keep all of their irresponsible perks, like TTC commissioners travelling for transit conferencess and etc??!!
(http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/joe_warmington/2010/02/17/12911151.html)
Absolutely Disgusting!! Especially after all of the controversy surrounding the TTC, Mayor Miller continues to show that he's completely out of touch with the population of Toronto.
Defenders of Mayor Miller -the king douchebag himself- should be ashamed of themselves, and their hero.. He's a disgrace, and the entire city is counting the days until he's gone.
--jackandcokewithalime
Feb, 2010: Government - "You're all debt-ridden! What's wrong with you? Now we have to take away your loan privileges"
Glad the people we elected to run things are doing such a great job *insert sarcasm here*
-minimum $350 billing for false alarm calls that result in emergency response- no problem with this- though I thought this was already done.
-There will also be service cuts, including reduced hours at city courts and libraries- this blows. The library is amazing.
So overall ..we'll pay more, for less...
Now lets get screwed by the province next month.
Perhaps we will all need to wait until after the election to be sure...but by then it may be too late...
The idea of 28 cats makes me retch.
They carry balances on their credit cards.
They get into bidding wars for houses and POOF they rationalize spending 50 grand more than planned because they just HAVE to have that house.
They don't bother to save up for a decent downpayment on their first house.
etc
etc
etc
Smarten the hell up, people.
They have kids when they're not in a position to afford it.
They need that moronic crossover SUV that's shittier than a car in every way, but without the positives of a truck.
etc :)
Expensive weddings blow my mind too.
ETC
Also: nice lead pic; way to be topical, Filmores!
Cause you'd think if you were writing a blog that was more than just a personal rant, you'd try to get the facts first.
From his bio on the Globe - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/silver-powers/
An active federal and provincial Liberal, Robert was Gerard Kennedy's National Policy Director during the 2006 Liberal Leadership Campaign. Prior to returning to the private sector, he worked for Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty as a special policy advisor.
I'm not sure what you're trying to say here... What facts do I have wrong?
Did Miller and his cronies NOT create new user fees for families and children?? Did they NOT allow for further perks for TTC Commissioners???
Oh, I think I see what's going on here... Did I upset one of King Douchebag's loyal followers?? Eh, Danny-mc-douche?
Why don't you go cry to someone who cares..
--jackandcokewithalime
Actually, on that note here's a timely overview of the problems with online comment sections. Wonder if Chantal Hebert has seen any of your posts jackandcoke.
Yes yes... Sounds like some typical Miller Back-Pedalling Doucheness to me..
Why don't you get YOUR facts right first, and then make comments about other people.
--jackandcokewithalime
PS: "Wah wah wah wah wah", cried the douche while he ran away with his tail between his legs....
Frankly I don't like Miller (or Giambrone for that matter), however I'd be genuinely interested to hear your thoughts on balancing the budget, because you can't just "reduce fee's, reduce taxes" and be done with it.
This is not rocket science.
Here's an idea for you both, why don't you try commenting on the story, instead of just chasing me around like star-crazed teenaged girls...
I mean, seriously.. You guys are so sad..
--jackandcokewithalime
PS: Your autographed pictures of me are in the mail! Have Patience guys, they're coming... ;)
PPS: Keven, Dan attacked me. I only defended myself. It's very typical of you to turn a blind eye to that.
Let me repeat: Here's an idea for you, why don't you try commenting on the story, instead of just chasing me around like a star-crazed teenaged girl...
--jackandcokewithalime
PS: A Douche is defined as irrigation with a jet of water or medicated solution into or around a body part (especially the vagina) to treat infections or cleanse from odorous contents.
Try it. Your friends will thank me.
Yeah! All I hear is you defending him, and I continuously see you popping up everytime I call out his stupidity (knocking me for saying it, and then defending him all the way).
It's all good.. You remind of those McCain supporters who claimed to be voting for Obama (to look good in public), but when they actually went into the voting booths, they voted for McCain.
The first step in being anti-Miller, is to stop making up excuses for his failures.
--jackandcokewithalime
Here's food for thought.
Nothing, NOTHING Miller has done, or will do, can compare to the idiocy of Sheppard Line.
$1 Billion subway line to nowhere.
Ahhh the Lastman legacy. How long will it take for us to forget it?
And to the Editor's of BlogTo: Can a "report this" feature be added to comments?