City
Rob Ford on why the Fort York bridge had to go
There's probably not much point in continued lament over the so-called death of the Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge (there's a new bridge to campaign for), but inasmuch as the whole incident is representative of the way that Toronto's current municipal government works, it's fascinating to read how Mayor Rob Ford applied his customer service strategy to those citizens who emailed him about the now doomed project.
Here's a copy of the stock email response that a number of members of the Facebook group Save the Fort York Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge have indicated they received when they contacted the mayor's office.
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From: Mayor Ford Mayor_Ford@toronto.ca
Date: Wed, May 25, 2011 at 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: Save The Fort York Pedestrian Cycle Bridge
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the Fort York Pedestrian Bridge.
While this bridge design is beautiful, Toronto cannot afford a project like this right now. No Federal or Provincial money has been provided for this project, the City of Toronto would have to borrow $22.4 million to construct it. This project has already gone $4.4 million over budget and would take away funding for other planned bridge repairs.
At this time, Council has deferred this project until a more cost effective solution can be provided by staff. After a new design has been completed, it will be submitted to the Public Works Committee for review and consideration.
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns. Please feel free to contact my office again at any time.
Yours truly,
Mayor Rob Ford
City of Toronto
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The Good
While the responses might not be individualized, Ford seems to have made mostly good on his promise to respond to citizen inquires. That might sound like it's a not a big deal, but get my father-in-law started about all the letters he wrote to David Miller that never received a response, and you get a sense for why this approach is deemed valuable by so many citizens. Seriously, he foams at the mouth.
The Bad
Getting a response is great. Getting a response that misconstrues the facts is, well, problematic. While such misrepresentation might work with some citizens who have contacted the City, presumably many who've taken the time to send an email will have a decent understanding of the issue at hand. Hence...
The Ugly
"The City of Toronto would have to borrow $22.4 million to construct it." I suppose it all depends on how liberally you want to use the term borrow, but given that the bridge was already budgeted for, this comes off as completely disingenuous. It would also be more accurate to say that funding for road repairs is what took away money earmarked for the bridge — not the other way around.
Discussion
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Never.
*snicker*
The bridge he wants to build will resemble a bridge u see in Etobicoke. Cement arch with metal stairs. This bridge and area needs to be special
They ought to tax cars, and use that money to pay for road repairs. Use the tax dollars of citizens in the core to actually develop and grow the city.
Cities have to be about more than just sewers and roads and property taxes. That's why I hate all this talk about "running a city like a business". It's not a business. Don't get me wrong, I think Miller has a lot to answer for, and spent like a drunken sailor on shore leave, and if he hadn't sh*t the bed during the strike in '09, there's no way Ford would ever have been elected. But Rob Ford is not the answer. He could make a fine mayor in a place like Etobicoke or Brampton or Oakville, but the mayor of the country's largest city needs to have some type of vision. Much like Miller didn't understand the suburban voter - to his ultimate demise, Ford has no idea of what makes a real city work. Toronto is not Etobicoke, and he needs to stop treating it like it is.
Comma splice in sentence two
Only makes it worse
So, if I plan to buy a Ferrari next year and I cancel that, people would say "but you budgeted for it!"?
I don't think highly of Ford but anyone who thinks Miller or Smitherman would be better is nuts...I'd rather have somebody who wants to save me money than somebody who recklessly spends it.
I own a small company, when I do my yearly budget plan I include certain pieces of equipment that I'd like to purchase in a year, but if I don't have the cash I make a judgement call as to whether I should borrow the money to buy it or decide to push it back and wait for more money. This doesn't strike as being unusual, odd, or dishonest.
Sometimes I think we sound like little kids when a trip to Disney World gets cancelled and they whine and cry without getting the big picture that maybe the family budget is a little tight. There will always be beautiful structures to be built, I just don't think we can build all of them.
Also, is this entire post sort of makes the Rob Ford haters look a bit small and picky. Look for the big stuff, don't get caught in these little issues that make people look small and consistently disagreeable.
If that is your definition of saving, I am terrified of what your definition of spending looks like.
Please nobody remind them of the 11% raise the cops got for simply showing up to work. And nobody remind them how the Fords will not touch the $66/hr cops earn in overtime pay for acting as crossing guards.
Who has money for bridges and shit? Listen to Robert, he runs a business.
If you think we are taxed to death, go talk to the province about downloading and talk to Rob about the $50million pay raise to a certain union don't forget to mention the higher payout to the transit workers now they are not allowed to strike.
See
http://www.edmonton.ca/business/documents/PropertyTax_Report_2009RevisedFeb10.pdf
The money can be better spent elsewhere.
Here's a trade off. Build your bridge, give more of the TCHC houses away for free (al a Miller) and then eveyone can live under your precious bridge.
It is more than just a bridge. It is about the ideology of how Ford and his cronies are running Toronto. Their lack of understandingng how a city works, Their lack of business sense. Planning for the future, future growth, how to increase revenue etc..
It has been only 7 months and he has wasted millions of dollars, crushed the vision of the waterfront, handed huge payouts to a city union, blocked access to city hall.
Also, I don’t think you needed to be critical of me, just because I come from a different point of view/background than yourself. And the city literally doesn’t have money for “bridges and shit”, that’s sort of the point of all of this, isn’t it?
Yeesh. I didn't even vote for Rob Ford and I'm tired of their constant pretentious whining.
FYI, I never got a response, form or otherwise, when I e-mailed the mayor about Transit City. If you ever need someone to rant back at your father-in-law, I'm your guy.
"You want to connect the people there, but at what cost? I have a lot of concern that we're so financially tight — just think about what that $23 million could do for bridge rehab, for road repair... I think it's important to have a sober second look at this, and that's all I'm trying to do."
Beyond a certain point, you're borrowing the money wherever it goes, which I'd imagine is why people are bringing up the police contract and other aspects of the City's finances. It would seem that the concept of budgetary borrowing is only brought up when it relates to a project Ford isn't in favour of — such rhetorical choices aren't neutral or unmotivated.
Whether I voted for Ford or not I did not vote for city hall to be run like that.
ticket the people who cross the tracks (illegally) and put that money towards a bridge?
just kidding... I've gotten a ticket for crossing the tracks near there (where hundreds of people are forced to do it because there's no way around) and it sure stung my wallet.
it's a shame it got canned. that area is very isolated and a footbridge would have done wonders for the area (and for Fort York)
Now if you're going to keep sulking, bitching and moaning in every new post this is going to get awfully tiring and Ford's term will feel even longer than it is going to be. Perhaps you can find some way to make a positive contribution.
Not to be one of "those" people, but it's hundreds of millions actually.
The list is long and there are no sides left or right. No level of government is immune, federal, provincial or municipal.
No politician has the mandate to ignore those that did not vote for them.
If I disagre with what that politician is doing I have a right to voice my objectionon and criticisms.
It really bothers me that the Fords are cancelling projects left right and centre and costing the city MILLIONS!! How on earth is that cutting back on the gravy? It's incredibly wasteful and short-sighted.