Neville ParkCllr Cheng's line of questioning seems to imply she is against defunding student nutrition programs.
The Lowest Bar in the World.jpg
"New Deal 2.0" has real "presentation_FINAL_FINAL (2).docx" vibes
The quorum call chimes will continue until morale improves we have fucking quorum, only half an hour to lunch, let's focus people. I think Bradford might be doing an election-y media scrum but unfortunately I am seated in the wrong place to see what's going on up there.
Edit: maybe it's the Africentric Alternative School students getting a tour of the clamshell?
This "barely-at-inflation tax increase from progressive mayor" thing has decalibrated my political compass, I expect some councillors to be criticizing the budget when they're not really.
I admit it is a bit of a disappointment to not be able to see how Cllr Perks (a reliable supporter of the mayor) would justify the low increase.
Cllr Carroll, the budget chief, has some big motions dispensing the various discretionary funds allowed for in the budget. Just scroll down to the bottom here. Omg are we going to wrap this up before lunch?
Carroll is very insistent that the police budget increase is "nothing!" but the (pre-planned) hiring increase and collective bargaining agreement. I mean on one hand, okay sure, but on the other hand, the police budget has always been virtually all labour costs.
Holyday has a motion (once again, scroll down to the bottom) to reduce the TTC reserve draw by increasing TTC fares 10% for adults and, essentially, cancel the fare capping and "kids under 12 ride for free" policies.
Holyday says the 2% tax on the wealthiest homeowners is "taking money from people who earned it and distributing it to others."
Okay, we're recessing till 2:00. Back then!
OH WAIT there's an anti-poverty rally outside City Hall
Side note: still crushed by the loss of Café on the Square, the unofficial City Hall canteen https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/toronto-city-hall-s-caf-shutters-after-more-than-25-years-serving-politicians-public-servants/article_d43de4dd-b3da-4e81-a1b7-5cf80525e0f6.html Particularly Norm!
Oh sick, there are samosas at the rally
Visited my happy place (the stationery section of Muji)
Back at City Council, where Speaker Nunziata threatens to pass a motion to accept the budget "as is" unless they meet quorum.
"You learn more on Budget Committee than any other committee," says Cllr Pasternak, recalling his four-year "sentence" on the committee.
Like others, he sounds a warning bell about dipping into the reserves, citing extreme flooding and COVID as events Toronto could only cope with because of deep reserves.
Pasternak now describing "hateful mobs" "harassing" people on Bathurst, people fleeing from "unstable" people on the subways, violent attacks on Jewish institutions, etc., the usual. He also mentions the uptick in reported assaults on LGBT people, which I would take more seriously if this wasn't coming from the guy who reliably tries to defund Pride if there is even a whiff of pro-Palestinian participation.
Cllr Bravo is concerned about the delay Pasternak is asking for on the building of a shelter in his ward. She notes that keeping people in a hotel, which might involve extending a lease, is very expensive; that inflation could lead to increase in capital costs.
"My concern is being fair to local residents," says Pasternak, who does not consider homeless people "residents". He mentions that many are Italian speakers and says more time is needed to reach out to them. My dude how do you not have Italian speakers in your office
Carroll gets Pasternak to say "I don't think we should be putting a shelter beside a daycare." Ah, there we are
Oh hey, Cllr Shan gives a nod to the people rallying outside. "For one of the wealthiest cities in the world, we cannot be the child poverty capital of Canada," he says, mentioning one of the points one of the speakers mentioned.
Totally superficial observation: I really like Cllr Kandavel's sunny goldenrod-leaning-mustard-yellow sweater. It is a colour I am afraid to try to pull off myself though
Cllr Cheng laments having to advocate for social & cultural investments for North York every year. Me (having watched tired community organizers beg for funding for student nutrition programs for the past 15 years): staring blankly in to the distance get used to it
"Go talk to people in the neighbourhoods. Ask them what they think about taking away police officers," says Cllr Colle.
me (from Parkdale): ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY
"I'm not going to speak very long on this…" Cllr Perruzza begins. FACT CHECK NEEDED, I bet he goes into full Perruzza Rant Mode at minute 3
Perruzza does not go into full rant mode, but he does go over time and has to be cut off by Nunziata.
He is the kind of councillor who will probably vote with your motion, but who you absolutely do not want speaking in favour of it
Cllr Bradford now doing advance-campaign-speech thing. Just to remind everyone, he got 1.28% of the vote last election (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Toronto_mayoral_by-election#Total).
He says the city has never drawn so much on the reserves before. "I call this budget financial malpractice, mortgaging the city's future to make an election-year budget look better on paper."
Cllr Colle starts heckling him. "Brad, what about the police budget?" Cllr Carroll, a couple rows ahead of him, turns around and mouths a "don't do it Mike, he's not worth it"-type message.
Fletcher questioning Bradford about the Main Square redevelopment project in one of his motions. Somehow everyone at the City missed that the lease was expiring in 2023. (Background: https://beachmetro.com/2023/09/12/city-working-on-new-lease-for-main-square-community-centre-amid-plans-for-more-highrises-increased-density-in-area) Fletcher is like, I'm not voting for your motion because we're going to have to dip into reserves to to fund it.
Fletcher: "I have an announcement to make! It is raining!" I am momentarily nonplussed until she goes on to say, "There is someone south of the border creating a lot of storms." Oh, it's a metaphor about rainy-day funds
City working on new lease for Main Square Community Centre amid plans for more highrises, increased density in area – Beach Metro Community News
By AMARACHI AMADIKE, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter With a number of new high-rise developments being proposed in the Danforth Avenue and Main
"Is it too high? Is it too low? Make up your minds!" Fletcher criticizes her colleagues' "hysteria" over a "Goldilocks budget".
It's Cllr Bravo's turn to speak. "I thought Fletcher was the last speaker," says someone. "Crisanti after that," says Nunziata. "Vince! Vince!" heckles Burnside plaintively. Cllr Crisanti makes a 🤌 motion at him.
"Cllr Fletcher motivated me to say what I'm going to say," says Cllr Crisanti. Fletcherrrr!!! He is like, TECHNICALLY, we're not voting on the budget, just on certain amendments (true).
To clarify for anyone new to this, Council's conservatives are all in favour of keeping residential property tax increases as low as possible and would normally approve of a mere 2.2%. However, they object to this budget because 1) they want to finance that by cutting services, not by dipping into reserves; and 2) they see it as a naked campaign ploy.
Nunziata: "Cllr Colle, you would like to get up and..." (everyone groans) "…declare a conflict [of interest]." (everyone sighs)
Voting. I realize this sounds quite intemperate but this has been a peeve of mine for as long as I've been following City Council. They do the item pages in MS Word, I believe, so we're not gonna get like semantic markup, but it does have outline functionality that should allow for it
Holyday's TTC motions failed. So did Pasternak's motion to delay the shelter. Perruzza accidentally votes against Bradford's Main Square motion and they have to re-open the vote so it can pass unanimously.
(See results on the item page.)
Oh shit I forgot about the other budget item (where they actually set the rates). As is tradition, it is considered after the main budget item, even though now it makes no difference.
You'll notice the table of property tax rates is mind-meltingly confusing. As ever, see David Hains's perennially useful explainer on how property taxes work in Toronto.
Holyday has questions about the changes to Toronto Parking Authority financing. (There are interesting changes afoot that I have not looked into myself.)
Cllr Fletcher going into deep history (1998) about money set aside for the Main Square development, the old Neighbourhood Services Committee, etc. "Did the new City spend four million dollars in vain?" I begrudgingly admit I am mildly interested.
As expected, Cllr Carroll has a motion to increase the tax break for small businesses and balance it out with hiking rates for the rest of the commercial property tax subclass. She also has another motion which I don't think does very much
"We have not plundered, we have not raided," Cllr Carroll says in defence of the budget.
Cllr Myers has a motion regarding how the TTC and the City interact, accountability- and funding-wise, instead of the City just "cutting the TTC a check": "considering mechanisms to formalize agreements between both entities on key performance indicators, verification/auditing, service levels, safety and customer experience."
Cllr Morley has a motion for Toronto Shelter & Support Services to work with the drop-in sector to "review core wage principles, adequate resourcing and overall stabilization of the sector", noting that drop-in staff have to "wear many hats".
Another part of her motion is looking into "enhanced" snow clearing for seniors and people with disabilities, an issue which came to the fore during the recent snow Event. She says Brampton and Pickering have such programs.
WINDROW CLEARING RETURNS!!!!! (The enhanced service of clearing the snowbanks left in people's driveways by snow plows has been a perennial budget football over the years.)
Cllr Pasternak has a raft of various uncontroversial-looking/ineffectual motions, such as Council telling "the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Canada that it vigorously opposes and takes serious objection to his announced a $10 million reduction in Housing Accelerator Fund funding for the City of Toronto."
Cllr Burnside has a motion to raise TTC fares by $0.10. He says it's unfair to ask Toronto's wealthiest property owners to pay more, but not TTC riders. stares into the camera
Note that increasing barriers to using the TTC risks the feared TTC Ridership Death Spiral, where lower ridership leads to worse services leading to lower ridership, etc., etc., hence why your typical transit wonks oppose cutting struggling public transit.
Myers is like, are you aware this is a terrible fucking idea. Burnside is like, "I was advised by folks at the TTC—"
"Which folks? Name names."
"Is this an inquisition?"
Myers (paraphrase): No, I just want to know.
"Uh…I don't know their names."
"It's amazing. You're a former TTC chair. Just amazing." Cllr Myers is extremely amused.
Bradford has a motion to increase the small business tax break from 15% to 25%, instead of 20% as in the Mayor's budget.
Fletcher, who can really nurse a grudge, points out that Bradford didn't move it before Chow was mayor. The old "this u?"
OHHHHHHHHH Cllr Bravo has a motion similar to Myers' re: the TTC budget, but about the police (and the services transferred from police to the City proper).
a. the approximately 40,000 crisis calls responded to by the Toronto Community Crisis Service since launching in 2022, which contributed to a 4.5 per cent decrease in overall mental health-related 911 calls;
b. the transfer to the City of the crossing guard program through Transportation Services;
c. the transfer of noise enforcement to Municipal Licensing and Standards; and
d. increased traffic control done by the City through the traffic agents program.
I was checking my phone while Cllr Perruzza introduced his latest motion because I didn't want to look at it or read it because I knew it was going to be his usual bullshit, and it is: "City Council request the Government of Ontario to allow the City of Toronto to keep 100 percent of the property taxes collected within the City of Toronto."
C'mon Nonno let's get you to bed
Holyday has the Annual Motion to Restore Mechanical Leaf Collection In Etobicoke, as is tradition. (Like windrow clearing, a frequent subject of last-minute budget horse-trading that was cut in recent years.) I am actually laughing out loud.
If I were a councillor, I would bring up the ecological cost of leaf disposal and ask why Cllr Holyday hates pollinators, detritivores, fireflies, etc., and move for a ban on mechanical leaf collection, and that is why I am not a councillor
Leave the Leaves: Winter Habitat Protection | Xerces Society
Think twice before you rake, mow, and blow this year. Invertebrates rely on fallen leaves and other organic debris to cover and insulate them from the elements. Whatever your landscape, you can ensure that resources for nests and overwintering habitat are available.
Cllr Crisanti has a motion asking the TTC to look into "free to $1 for Wheel-Trans customers aged 65 and over during off-peak hours (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) on weekdays and all day on weekends".
Cllr Myers says Wheel-Trans actually costs $50 a trip, and suggests instead making fares free/discounted for "conditional passengers", people who could use Wheel-Trans but are using the regular TTC instead. Crisanti says they could look at both scenarios.
OK, speakers over, voting time i guess
Votes! (Once again, here: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.CC38.1)
(Note, when there is a lone "no" it's Holyday)
- Bradford's motion on increasing the small business tax break to 25% fails 5-20. "Perruzza!" Colle cries in disappointment (he voted for it).
- Carroll's motion increasing it to 20% carries 23-2.
- The other parts of her motion pass by a show of hands.
- Matlow's motion asking for a share of the HST carries 24-1.
- Morley's motion (drop-in sector, snow clearing for seniors & disabled people) carries 24-1.
- Morley's Amsterdam Bridge motion carries with a show of hands.
- Pasternak's motions re: a Major Gifts office; the Downsview Community Centre; New Deal 2.0 MoA agreeement all carry with show of hands.
- Pasternak's motion that the City of Toronto be very stern about loss of federal housing funds carries 22-3. (Matlow and Saxe against, which is interesting.)
- Kandavel's motion on Bluffer's Park carries with a show of hands.
- Burnside's motion on the Aga Khan Park carries with a show of hands.
- Bravo's motion on more transparent police (& associated divisions) budget reporting carries 23-2.
- Perruzza's annual property tax motion carries 22-3, Bravo and Malik against.
- Holyday's annual mechanical leaf collection motion fails 9-16. "Hey, that's one more than last year!" Holyday announces. "Keep trying," says Nunziata.
- Fletcher's Applegrove Community Centre motion passes with a show of hands.
- Myers's motion on more transparent TTC budget reporting carries unanimously.
- Burnside's motion for a $0.10 fare hike fails 3-20. "If you listened more and talked less, you'd know where I'm coming from," he calls in response to Perruzza's heckling. "Sick burn!" says Carroll.
- Crisanti's motion on free/discounted fares for senior Wheel-Trans users carries 19-5. Carroll, Matlow, Saxe (and Burnside and Holyday) against, likely for various reasons.
Now voting on the item as amended (still https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.CC38.1). Councillors want various items to be separated out. I am starting to feel overheated and woozy and am decidedly under-hydrated.
- Parts 1-4 (the main rates) carry 21-4.
- PROCEDURAL CONFUSION as they are unclear what they are voting on now
If this goes over time I am going to have to tap out, I wish we could drink water in here
- Anyway, parts 1-4 as amended carry 19-5 (Bradford, Crisanti, Holyday, Perruzza, Pasternak against).
- Part 15, re: Parking Authority funding. "What's in that?" asks Cllr Colle distractedly. "Just read it," someone heckles. Carroll: "First rule of improv, just say yes!" It carries 20-4.
- Part 16, re: "considering" raising parking rates, carries 20-4.
- Part 24, on expanding the air conditioner pilot program, carries 23-1. "I feel like I'm getting older just sitting here," says Nunziata, whose birthday is in 2 days.
- Parts 26-30, re: FIFA, carry 22-2, with Nunziata & Bradford against. "If you vote for this you get the FIFA Peace Prize," jokes Colle.
- The rest of the item as pertaining to the TTC (so Cllr Colle, who has a conflict as his son [former councillor Josh Colle] now works for the TTC, can vote on the rest) carries unanimously, 23-0.
- The rest of the rest of the item carries unanimously, 24-0.
Okay now it's over, I feel like I am dying and need to leave, thanks to anyone who is reading this
Update: home, alive, in comfy pants and with peppermint tea.
I did not escape unscathed though.
I got another Muji fountain pen.
May Likes Toronto@nev Thank you for doing the work. ❤️
@mayintoronto hey, it's only work if you get paid!!! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
valerie