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Morning Brew: Is there tension between the twin mayors?, Adam Giambrone on how to avoid TTC service cuts, Toronto's two-tier taxi system and racism, new Blue Jays logo leaked, and bacon jam is all the rage
One thing that hasn't been discussed much (or perhaps at all) since Rob Ford was elected mayor of Toronto is the possibility of tension erupting between him and his brother Doug, councillor for Etobicoke North. And yet in the wake of the failed attempt to take over the Port Lands redevelopment, that's exactly what's come to pass — or at least so argues John Lorinc of the Globe. Could it be that the mayor has finally put his older brother in his place. And, if so, will he stay?
Adam Giambrone has a plan to avoid TTC service cuts. He claims that by instituting a fare increase of 10 cents and a few other revenue-generating measures, the Commission could actually expand its service. According to the former TTC Chair, many people would be willing to fork over the extra money "to ensure predictability and comfort." What do you think?
Is Toronto's two-tier taxi system racist? That's the argument being made by a Toronto cab driver and his lawyer at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. Here's the jist of the case, courtesy of the Star: "Asafo Addai argues that visible minorities disproportionately hold the more restrictive Ambassador licences, while standard licences — which can be leased, sold and operated around the clock by shift drivers — are mainly owned by whites." The system, argues Addai, doesn't directly discriminate against non-white drivers, but it nevertheless has that effect.
The new Blue Jays logo may have been leaked online yesterday. We posted it to our Facebook page for feedback, and the reviews were mostly positive. What do you think of the retro-inspired design?
Anyone tried bacon jam yet? While it may sound gross (particularly to vegetarians), the spread has become more and more popular with chefs over the last year or so. The Grid takes a longer look at Seattle chef Josh Henderson's version, which has just become available in Toronto — at $20 for a 300g jar, no less. Hey, at least there's real bacon in there.
IN BRIEF
- Portion of the subway closed for non-existent package yesterday
- Ford accepts public health nurses he once rejected
- Is the NHL finally getting tough on dangerous hits?
Photo by Jonathan Castellino in the blogTO Flickr pool
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If the City reversed this and made the TTC the primary beneficiary of my property taxes dollars, I'd be all for that. I'd also be willing to pay slightly more in fares and I'd be open to tolls as well - as long as it all went to expansion, repair and infrastructure.
At the same time, better TTC means more passengers and we could really use that downtown relief line people whisper about...
It is impossible to remind people (most of all Doug Ford himself) enough that we have one mayor and that Doug Ford does not even have the authority of a deputy mayor. He is a councillor.
Sure, he's a loose cannon and he talks a bunch of crap, possibly as a form of distraction. But he's not the mayor. Don't lend him any more credence than he needs.
The TTC is, indeed, the place to look if the budget is going to be balanced. I am not saying that the police couldn't tighten their belts, too (literally!) I am never impressed when I see two cruisers 69ing in the parking lot of my building. One can only hope they are on a legitimate break.
One has to ask, however, why the TTC gets $1.534B - $941M fares collected = $593 MILLION in direct city taxpayer subsidies, plus another $3.437 BILLION in additional subsides from the capital budget, for a whopping total of $4.023 BILLION of the total budget of the city, while only 20% of the population actually uses the service on a regular basis.
Over at Transportation Services (which does, BTW, have to pick up the tab for those asphalt humps at all the bus stops across the city), they go begging for $291M of the operating budget and $2.2B from the capital budget, for a grand total of $2.491 BILLION. That translates into almost HALF the amount poured into the TTC.
So, just to be clear, the 21 or 23% of the people who use the TTC regularly get 36% of the total budget of the city; whereas, the 70% who drive regularly get 20% of the total city budget.
But here's the punch line, kiddies: WheelTrans AND the $2.29 BILLION alloted for the Spadina subway (not Expressway, mind!!!) is not factored into these figures.
Over to the usual suspects to wail and mewl about neo-cons and fat Mayors.....
So, while Miller couldn't find $120M to extend Front Street (because he was too busy having conversations with the Psycho Union, er - sorry, Cycle Union), Council somehow has managed to procure $41 million (which as we all know will balloon to $46 or $48M when completed) to add more traffic signals and turn the intersection of 3 major streets into a parking lot because a few people walk through there every month.
FACT: The TTC is the third most used transit system in North America, behind two cities MANY times larger- Mexico City and New York City.
Source for these stats please
Blame this guy instead: http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2001-2003/dominelli1.htm
instead of blowing the hot air you do daily back up these stats please.
Never explain
Pull ridiculous statistics out of your butt
Cars rule, cyclists drool
Did I miss anything?
Essentially he stole that money.
When he pays it back then he can talk
I live on the east side of the intersection and almost always take the bus to Kipling Station rather than walking because it's so dangerous.
If I walked, I'd have to cross a street six times, two of those being Dundas, and one of those is where a crosswalk is desperately needed but the city refuses to install. Many of those crossings are ramp-like affairs where drivers don't watch for pedestrians.
If you don't think an overhaul is desperately needed, then you don't live here. Simple.
This is something that I am working on:
"A Blue Jay Idea", check it out: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.193964384005300&;type=1
:)