Councillors who voted NO for the taxes:

1. Paul Ainslie (Ward 43);
2. Brian Ashton (Ward 36);
3. Michael Del Grande (Ward 39);
4. Michael Feldman (Ward 10);
5. Rob Ford (Ward 2);
6. Doug Holyday (Ward 3);
7. Cliff Jenkins (Ward 25);
8. Chin Lee (Ward 41);
9. Peter Milczyn (Ward 5)*;
10. Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34);
11. Ron Moeser (Ward 44);
12. Frances Nunziata (Ward 11);
13. Case Ootes (Ward 29);
14. Cesar Palacio (Ward 17);
15. John Parker (Ward 26);
16. David Shiner (Ward 24);
17. Karen Stintz (Ward 16);
18. Michael Thompson (Ward 37);
19. Michael Walker (Ward 22).

* Ms. Augimeri and Mr. Perruzza voted against the mayor's motor vehicle tax, which also passed council yesterday, by a vote of 25-20. Mr. Milczyn opposed the land transfer tax but voted in favour of the motor vehicle tax.

Councillors who voted YES for the taxes:

1. Maria Augimeri (Ward 9)*;
2. Sandra Bussin (Ward 32);
3. Shelley Carroll (Ward 33);
4. Raymond Cho (Ward 42);
5. Janet Davis (Ward 31);
6. Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38);
7. Frank Di Giorgio (Ward 12);
8. John Filion (Ward 23);
9. Paula Fletcher (Ward 30);
10. Adam Giambrone (Ward 18);
11. Mark Grimes (Ward 6);
12. Suzan Hall (Ward 1);
13. Adrian Heaps (Ward 35);
14. Norm Kelly (Ward 40);
15. Gloria Lindsay Luby (Ward 4);
16. Giorgio Mammoliti (Ward 7);
17. Pam McConnell (Ward 28);
18. Joe Mihevc (Ward 21);
19. Howard Moscoe (Ward 15);
20. Joe Pantalone (Ward 19);
21. Gord Perks (Ward 14);
22. Anthony Perruzza (Ward 8)*;
23. Kyle Rae (Ward 27);
24. Bill Saundercook (Ward 13);
25. Adam Vaughan (Ward 20);
26. Mayor David Miller

View my article in the Midtown Crier on this subject: October 2007

• View my letter to City Solicitor, Anna Kinastowski, questioning the authority of City Manager Shirley Hoy's unilateral cuts made to Community Centres, Libraries, Ice Rinks, etc. - September 20, 2007
  • View Ms. Kinastowski's reply - October 9, 2007

• View my letter to City Manager, Shirley Hoy, questioning her authority to unilaterally cut funding to Community Centres, Libraries, Ice RinkTuesday, January 6, 2009 9:39 AMView Ms. Hoy's reply - October 11, 2007

• City Manager's and CFO's presentation to Executive Committee - October 1, 2007

• Does the City Manager have the power to selectively amend the approved 2007 budget?
  • Media Release - City Council requested to review City Manager's independent cost-cutting actions - September 5, 2007
  • My Independent Legal Opinion from Gowlings
  • City Solicitor's Legal Opinion on City Manager Shirley Hoy's cost containment measures
    Prepared on August 20, 2007 - Distributed to Toronto City Councillors on September 26, 2007
  • Related news articles to the above issue

Councillor Michael Walker talking about Diversity of Opinion on Toronto City Council during a debate to nominate Councillor Holyday to the Executive Committee. 
September 27, 2007 – Toronto City Council.

Land Transfer Tax and Vehicle Registration Tax (view Executive Committee Report):
This item was deferred from the July 16th meeting of Toronto City Council until after the provincial election on October 10th, 2007.

Councillors who favour the deferral:

1. Brian Ashton (Ward 36);
2. Maria Augimeri (Ward 9);
3. Michael Del Grande (Ward 39);
4. Michael Feldman (Ward 10);
5. Rob Ford (Ward 2);
6. Mark Grimes (Ward 6);
7. Suzan Hall (Ward 1);
8. Doug Holyday (Ward 3);
9. Cliff Jenkins (Ward 25);
10. Chin Lee (Ward 41);
11. Peter Milczyn (Ward 5);
12. Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34);
13. Ron Moeser (Ward 44);
14. Frances Nunziata (Ward 11);
15. Case Ootes (Ward 29);
16. Cesar Palacio (Ward 17);
17. John Parker (Ward 26);
18. Anthony Perruzza (Ward 8);
19. Bill Saundercook (Ward 13);
20. David Shiner (Ward 24);
21. Karen Stintz (Ward 16);
22. Michael Thompson (Ward 37);
23. Michael Walker (Ward 22).

Councillors who oppose the deferral:

1. Paul Ainslie (Ward 43);
2. Sandra Bussin (Ward 32);
3. Shelley Carroll (Ward 33);
4. Raymond Cho (Ward 42);
5. Janet Davis (Ward 31);
6. Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38);
7. Frank Di Giorgio (Ward 12);
8. John Filion (Ward 23);
9. Paula Fletcher (Ward 30);
10. Adam Giambrone (Ward 18);
11. Adrian Heaps (Ward 35);
12. Norm Kelly (Ward 40);
13. Gloria Lindsay Luby (Ward 4);
14. Giorgio Mammoliti (Ward 7);
15. Pam McConnell (Ward 28);
16. Joe Mihevc (Ward 21);
17. Howard Moscoe (Ward 15);
18. Joe Pantalone (Ward 19);
19. Gord Perks (Ward 14);
20. Kyle Rae (Ward 27);
21. Adam Vaughan (Ward 20);
22. Mayor David Miller

July 16, 2007 - My comments in City Council about potential new taxes (land transfer, vehicle registration).

 (2m:13s in length)

• Mayor Miller asks for resignation of Councillor Brian Ashton as Chair from the Planning and Growth Management Committee.  Moments later, Mayor Miller appoints Councillor Norm Kelly to Chair of the Committee.
  
• National Post - Opinion Editorial:
  Fix City Hall's culture before trying to fix its budget crisis: Debate In Council Ruled By Partisan Loyalties - July 25, 2007

Mayor Miller states that the City is running as lean as it can be; remember these extravagances that were approved in the past year - all of which I voted against:

• Pay increase of 9% for Mayor and Councillors (equals approx. $375,000/year)
• $750 million TTC subway car purchase - sole source/non-competitive bid (we could have saved over $100 million and still had the company build them in Canada)
• $30 million on new practice hockey rink facility for the Maple Leafs
• $20 million on new soccer stadium
• $160 million on new office building for private entertainment company (scroll to EX 8.16)
• $250 million on a landfill site that could have been leased in the short term lest we continue to be addicted to landfill (original report continues to be confidential - click here for contingency report)
• $40 million on renovating Nathan Phillips Square
• $3.5 million (was $6 million) for renovations to the Mayor's office and City Hall
• Millions spent on flower arrangement installations across the city that are re-planted several times each season (one perennial installation would be fine, no?)

The list above adds up to close to $600 million. If we are in the trouble the Mayor says we are, does it seem prudent to be spending on the above items at this time?

The City's Budget has increased by 30% in the last 4 years - where are we spending this increase in budget? Our property taxes have gone up over 11% across the city - where are these new tax dollars going? Our debt has grown to larger than ever before in Toronto's history - by 2012 every Torontonian will owe about $4,000 each. What are we getting for this extra debt?  

PROVINCIAL UPLOADING: The Province forces the City to pay for Ontario Disability support & benefits ($133 million), Welfare ($189 million) and Social Housing costs ($243 million). The total cost of Provincially mandated programs the City should not be forced to provide is $565 million. The Province needs to upload Welfare ($189 million) costs from the City NOW, before the Provincial election. We can continue to work closely with the Province for further uploading in the near future."

Aside from the Province needing to upload the cost and responsibility for Social Housing, Welfare, Disability Payments, and Transit (at least $565 million/year) - City Council needs to stop spending like we have the money. Some projects should be put on hold until we are in better fiscal shape; at least until our roads are repaired and we can maintain our parks adequately.

July 17, 2007 - A short speech on the Mayor's vision of Toronto and where his priorities are for funding the City through this budget crisis.

 
(7m:25s in length)

• January 4, 2006 - News Release
• December 12, 2005 - Backgrounder
• November 4, 2005 - Backgrounder
• 2006 Capital Budget Fact Sheet - Where your tax dollars are spent
• 2006 Capital Budget Fact Sheet - Where your tax dollars come from
• 2005 Work Sheet - How your tax dollars worked for you

• Enhancing Toronto's Business Climate - Staff Report (Final Recommendations) - October 17, 2005
• Enhancing Toronto’s Business Climate - It's Everybody's Business (Proposal to Shift Tax Burden onto Homeowners) - July 4, 2005