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rfmcdonaldThe Toronto Star's urban affairs columnist Royson James comments on a recent study conducted by management film KPMG of Toronto's municipal government. Ford was elected in large part because of his promise to stop the "gravy train", to end excessive municipal spending. It turns out that the "gravy train" doesn't exist. To achieve massive savings, Ford wouldn't be trimming off excessive municipal weight; rather, he'd make Toronto anorexic.
The one thing about this that gives me hope is that these cuts will hit Toronto's domestic suburbs as much as its downtown. The suburbs are Ford's strongholds. If suburbanites suffer from his policies, maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that suburbanities will swing away from Ford's policies towards the ideals of New Urbanism personified (if imperfectly) by past mayor David Miller. Of course this depends on urbanists not adopting the rhetoric of snobs uninterested in dialogue, instead actually being open to the critiques and concerns of the suburbs.
It turns out that if Ford is going to find “savings” from the city’s water, garbage and transportation departments he will have to convince city council to keep the blue box out of apartments and condos, reduce snow clearing, cut the grass and sweep the streets less often, and end fluoridation of Toronto’s drinking water — all politically explosive issues.
For that — and a list of nickel-and-dime, nip-and-tuck manoeuvres — Toronto could potentially, possibly, save up to $10 million to $15 million in departments that spend $1 billion, one-third of which comes from taxes.
[. . . I]f this trend continues through reports on the other cluster of services — eight in all, continuing with economic development Tuesday — then the mayor has disappointed his followers who are bullish on a brutish wielding of the axe.
The consultants begin their report on the public works and infrastructure department with this: “The vast majority, 96 per cent . . . are core municipal services.”
Economic development reports are out Tuesday, and again, about 96 per cent is considered core, essential, mandatory. Do away with core services and you close down the city, in effect. Other departments will reflect a similar theme. The mayor and politicians won’t be able to run roughshod through departments, cutting indiscriminately. Citizens will notice the damage because there isn’t so much waste that Ford can save a couple billion dollars without cutting service.
The one thing about this that gives me hope is that these cuts will hit Toronto's domestic suburbs as much as its downtown. The suburbs are Ford's strongholds. If suburbanites suffer from his policies, maybe, just maybe, there's a chance that suburbanities will swing away from Ford's policies towards the ideals of New Urbanism personified (if imperfectly) by past mayor David Miller. Of course this depends on urbanists not adopting the rhetoric of snobs uninterested in dialogue, instead actually being open to the critiques and concerns of the suburbs.
