On the eve of their first budget and their first one hundred days in office Mayor John Tory and Budget Chief Gary Crawford spoke to the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada led by President Tom Saras.
First off, a multi page breakdown of city expenditures by a senior official in the budget department, then questions and in came Tory and Crawford to put the final shine on the budget. The property tax increase will be 2.25 % plus .5 % Scarborough subway cost coming to a total of 2.75% which is just below the cost of living increase. (The budget passed easily the next day.)
Estonian Life asked two questions. First: “Even though it was good that the children be given a free ride on the Toronto Transit system what about senior citizens many of whom live on fixed incomes and have to go to medical appointments.” Tory: “We considered it but we found that it would cost too much since seniors take more rides on the transit system than children. Children only cost the system seven million, seniors would cost much more.”
The second question by Estonian Life: “While Toronto housing was foisted from the Province of Ontario to Toronto their share of the costs have whittled away, why is that ?” Tory: “This is definitely a matter of negotiation. The costs we will incur this year in repairs are necessary otherwise next year we will have four thousand units that are uninhabitable. I would also add that Toronto is the only municipality in Canada that has to look after its own community housing.”
There were many other questions from the audience and ended with Mr Saras (who is not Estonian) thanking guests and participants for keeping good order.
Adu Raudkivi