307 replies to this topic

[Shwa]

Maybe they should just deliver them to Rob Ford's front yard

But by God, let me tell ya, and I'm not kidding: if they do that, the homeless had better not be wearing red warrior princess costumes or there will be mayhem. Mayhem I tells ya! Mayhem!

[Shwa]

IT'S A BUDGET THAT SLAMS THE DOOR ON OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING!!!!!

Shrill thrill from the shill? (say that 10 times really fast)

[Jack Weber]

Closing shelters in a recession is ludicrous, especially when it's just been made illegal for people to sleep on sidewalks/subway grates, they can't sleep in parks ... where do the homeless sleep?

I assume Rob "Effing" Ford will use the Slasher Jimmy method....

Put 'em in jail!!!!

"Are there no prisons!!!Are there no workhouses!!!"

[Peeves]

Welp, it's pretty easy to cut spending when you're doing so on the backs of people with kidney disease and toddlers. Whether that's ipso facto a good thing is up for discussion.

Anyone else see that the mayor's office failed to hit its 10% budget cut target? In fact, they're even hiring an extra staffer.

That's a misrepresentation of the cost cutting plans. Obviously cuts have to be made and employment made viable. Past costs are un sustainable and those complaining of THE COUNCIL's cuts aren't offering any alternatives. Maybe we should hear from Miller and his Pinko cronies?

[grogy]

Closing shelters in a recession is ludicrous, especially when it's just been made illegal for people to sleep on sidewalks/subway grates, they can't sleep in parks ... where do the homeless sleep?

Is there room on your couch?

You can make a personal choice to take care of others with your resources, I choose not to, of course I pay a lot of taxes so I am likely doing more than you are anyway.

[Shwa]

Is there room on your couch?

You can make a personal choice to take care of others with your resources, I choose not to, of course I pay a lot of taxes so I am likely doing more than you are anyway.

Of course, if you live in Toronto, you are going to be paying even more taxes.

More taxes, less services.

Facing $139M surplus, Ford wants to cut $88M in services

Critics accused the mayor of cooking the books to “create a crisis” and push cuts that will inflict needless suffering. But Ford will fail, they predicted, to persuade a majority of councillors to vote them into reality

.

Where have we seen that sort of political expediency before hmm?

Added Councillor Mike Del Grande, the budget chief: “It’s too bad the rest of the world doesn’t have the courage to do what we are doing today.”

Right, because it is just "common sense."

Voters chose Ford to replace retiring Miller just over a year ago, after the former Etobicoke councillor promised “services will not be cut, guaranteed.” In January, after taking office, he revised that promise to no “major” reductions.

Ford’s proposed budget does include a surplus — $83 million, carried over from 2010, Miller’s final year in office.

[Black Dog]

That's a misrepresentation of the cost cutting plans. Obviously cuts have to be made and employment made viable. Past costs are un sustainable and those complaining of THE COUNCIL's cuts aren't offering any alternatives. Maybe we should hear from Miller and his Pinko cronies?

Here's a dirty little secret that Fordites don't seem to understand: in a growing city, costs are always going to rise. There's always another road to repair, a water main to fix, more homes from which to collect garbage. The alternative to rising costs is stagnation and decline.

As for Miller, well, he kept property taxes in line with inflation and tried to find ways to raise additional revenue (such as the VRT and land transfer tax) within the limited set of tools available to municipalities.

[mentalfloss]

I know it's weird. How do right-wingers crack down and get tough without hiring new cops?

They give the existing union a huge raise of course.

Because right-wingers love unions.

Edited by mentalfloss, 29 November 2011 - 07:02 AM.

[Boges]

Of course, if you live in Toronto, you are going to be paying even more taxes.

More taxes, less services.

I'm curious how that's much different from Daddy Dalton. He implements a Health premium and then de-lists many services that used to be covered by OHIP.

I have to wait until the end of January for an MRI and people are telling me I'm lucky.

[Boges]

Here's a dirty little secret that Fordites don't seem to understand: in a growing city, costs are always going to rise. There's always another road to repair, a water main to fix, more homes from which to collect garbage. The alternative to rising costs is stagnation and decline.

As for Miller, well, he kept property taxes in line with inflation and tried to find ways to raise additional revenue (such as the VRT and land transfer tax) within the limited set of tools available to municipalities.

But perhaps the rate of spending increases didn't totally reflect the increase in population.

[Michael Hardner]

But perhaps the rate of spending increases didn't totally reflect the increase in population.

Of course not.

I'm considered by most to be a liberal, but I can't understand why liberals support the continuing bloated corporatism that drapes itself in the clothing of public services. These organizations have all the hallmarks of corporations except one - they aren't owned by private individuals.

But private ownership isn't the only thing that's wrong with corporations. They increase the span of grasp naturally, for one. They are hierarchical, and concentrate power for another. They are secretive, and terrible at being responsive, and bad at self-reporting.

Saul's "Voltaire's Bastards" is every bit about the workings of Toronto City Hall as it is about Enron. There are egghead know-it-alls selling government on what is good for the people in both cases, and at the back end there is always a bailout when it fails: whether it's Skydome or Goldman Sachs.

[Black Dog]

But perhaps the rate of spending increases didn't totally reflect the increase in population.

Why would it?

[Black Dog]

Of course not.

I'm considered by most to be a liberal, but I can't understand why liberals support the continuing bloated corporatism that drapes itself in the clothing of public services. These organizations have all the hallmarks of corporations except one - they aren't owned by private individuals.

But private ownership isn't the only thing that's wrong with corporations. They increase the span of grasp naturally, for one. They are hierarchical, and concentrate power for another. They are secretive, and terrible at being responsive, and bad at self-reporting.

Saul's "Voltaire's Bastards" is every bit about the workings of Toronto City Hall as it is about Enron. There are egghead know-it-alls selling government on what is good for the people in both cases, and at the back end there is always a bailout when it fails: whether it's Skydome or Goldman Sachs.

And the alternative is....?

[Michael Hardner]

And the alternative is....?

IMO, we need to explore leapfrogging into the new modes of working that have come with new media. These are more participatory, egalitarian, open and cheaper or than what came before.

The key to breaking the hierarchy is to slay the king. This means making the big kahuna, or whomever it is in charge, directly accountable to his/her stakeholders - which in this case is the public, and those who use the services as two separate groups.

[Boges]

John Tory on his radio show doesn't think it's the front line employees that's the problem. He claims there are middle management at City Hall that do nothing but send reports to each other to justify their existence.

Now that's gravy.