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Torontoist: Parsing The Mayoral Platforms: Finance And Budget

Torontoist: Parsing The Mayoral Platforms: Finance And Budget

Online magazine Torontoist offers an in-depth examination of the financial platforms for each of the three leading mayoral candidates: Joe Pantalone The Small Wonder is walking a fine line when it comes to finance, because with other candidates fanning the flames of voter waste rage, he needs to at least pay lip service to the [...]

Levy: Fear Mongering About Ford

Levy: Fear Mongering About Ford

The Sun’s Sue-Ann Levy asks who voters should really fear: “A councillor who practiced what he preached for 10 years — not partaking of any perks of the job — and who consistently exposed the wasteful spending of his socialist colleagues on council? Or a former health minister who had to have his direct responsibility [...]

James: Cut Waste, But Carefully: Poll

James: Cut Waste, But Carefully: Poll

Royson James dissects the latest polling information from Insight Research to look at what’s on voter’s minds: “And the verdict is: Voters want change, carefully managed — in essence, a dash of George, a bit of Joe and a dab of Rob. The new mayor, despite his leanings, may want to reconsider platform positions once [...]

Pantalone Reveals Budget Plan

Pantalone Reveals Budget Plan

Mayoral candidate Joe Pantalone revealed his fiscal platform, which includes a pledge to balance the 2011 city budget: “The deputy mayor said the modest tax increase – coupled with a projected $180-million surplus for 2010, land sales and efficiencies – would make it possible for him to balance the books in 2011 without asking the [...]

James: What I Like About Rob Ford

James: What I Like About Rob Ford

Royson James offers some thoughts on what he appreciates about mayoral candidate Rob Ford: “He practises retail politics. He goes ward to ward, gets his hands dirty, personally attends to phone calls, and leaves behind an eternally grateful citizen. That sometimes angers delinquent or slow-responding councillors who resent his intrusion into their ward. Tough. Citizens [...]

Ford Releases Complete Financial Plan

Ford Releases Complete Financial Plan

Mayoral candidate Rob Ford gave additional details on his plans to tame the city budget, while promising to eventually post a substantial surplus: “In a statement, Mr. Ford said he would use one quarter of the surplus for “priority service improvements,” such as childcare services, services for seniors, making Toronto accessible and investing in an [...]

Gee: Rocco Rossi’s Last-Ditch Ploy: Common Sense

Gee: Rocco Rossi’s Last-Ditch Ploy: Common Sense

The Globe’s Marcus Gee notes that the fiscal plan being offered by mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi is a notable change from previous policy announcements: “It’s a new tack for Mr. Rossi, a former Liberal fundraiser and head of the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Coming out of the starting gate, he seemed to be occupying the [...]

Rocco Rossi Eyes TTC, Police In Plan To Rein In Spending

Rocco Rossi Eyes TTC, Police In Plan To Rein In Spending

The Globe and Mail Editorial Board met with mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi shortly after he released his fiscal platform, which offers his plan for reining in spending: “You have to be open to virtually every department,” Mr. Rossi told The Globe and Mail’s editorial board after unveiling his budget plan on Monday. The fourth-place mayoral [...]

Warmington: Ford Needs To Take Axe To The Arts

Warmington: Ford Needs To Take Axe To The Arts

The Sun’s Joe Warmington seems disappointed that Rob Ford has stated that he would not reduce arts funding if elected mayor on October 25th: “He has to be careful because if people want a status quo mayor, they’ll vote for one of the other three. Ford needs to be reminded for many he is a [...]

Sun Editorial: George Smitherman, Tax Fighter?

Sun Editorial: George Smitherman, Tax Fighter?

Mayoral candidate met with the Editorial Board of the Toronto Sun to defend his provincial record as well as explain how he will tackle Toronto’s budget: “Smitherman said he’ll use his first 100 days in office to do a “full Oprah” review of the budget, cross-examining senior staff about where waste can be cut responsibly. [...]

Gee: The Secret Of Ford’s Success

Gee: The Secret Of Ford’s Success

The Globe’s Marcus Gee speaks with one voter, former Miller supporter Peter Robinson, who is fed up enough with City Hall to consider voting for Rob Ford: “It almost seems that every time you turn around you are paying more money,” he said on the phone Wednesday, after e-mailing me about the Ford phenomenon. “Maybe [...]

George Smitherman Promises Change With Competence

George Smitherman Promises Change With Competence

The Globe and Mail reports that mayoral candidate George Smitherman will be focusing his efforts to show voters he is the candidate that can bring change to Toronto City Hall: “It’s going to be about who’s competent to lead change. There’s an appetite for change, it’s obvious. … I think it’s going to be about [...]

Candidates Vow To Increase Arts Funding

Candidates Vow To Increase Arts Funding

In anticipation of tonight’s debate on the arts, both mayoral candidates Rocco Rossi and George Smitherman released their proposals to enhance the creative community in Toronto: “Minutes after George Smitherman announced his plan to help Toronto’s culture scene “get its verve back” with former rival Sarah Thomson standing behind him in the lobby of Roy [...]

Levy: Ford Math Comes Up Short

Levy: Ford Math Comes Up Short

While Sue Ann Levy thinks Ford’s core messages are in sync with Toronto voters, she sees some serious holes in his plan: “For one thing, Ford already has a huge black hole to fill if he intends to get rid of the Land Transfer and Personal Vehicle Taxes. Those two taxes combined could represent about [...]

Star Editorial: Competing Plans For City Finances

Star Editorial: Competing Plans For City Finances

In an editorial in today’s edition, the Star Editorial Board suggests that there are two very different approaches to the city’s finances on offer from mayoral candidates George Smitherman and Rob Ford: “It is telling that on the same day that Smitherman released his detailed financial platform in a high-profile speech followed by intense questioning [...]

‘Time Of Sacrifice’ Coming For Toronto, Smitherman Warns

‘Time Of Sacrifice’ Coming For Toronto, Smitherman Warns

In a discussion with the Toronto Star’s Editorial Board, mayoral candidate George Smitherman notes that city workers will be expected to do their part to reign in spending: “He points to the huge deficits that Ottawa and Queen’s Park are running, which affects the funding those governments can offer the city, so Toronto needs to [...]

Agar: Demanding Fiscal Responsibility Doesn’t Make You Evil

Agar: Demanding Fiscal Responsibility Doesn’t Make You Evil

CFRB host Jerry Agar takes issue with those who look down on voters fed up with the status quo at City Hall: “Those people who are warning the city will be a ruined, hollowed out hell-hole under Ford teach us that the way to prosperity is ever-increasing taxes and fees. That is fiscal responsibility. Smart [...]