City Council — July 2015
July 7–9, 2015
57 posts
On today's council agenda, Rob Ford has held 3 items relating to pedestrian crossovers located nowhere near his ward. http://t.co/aR6HQ7j2eH
Paying transit fares with our phones! What's next? Pocket music players? Online banking? An encyclopedia anyone can edit? To the future!
On council's poverty strategy item, Coun. Mammoliti moves bizarre motion re: parenting. http://t.co/VwlQrg9Yhl
Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong is absent as council votes on the Waterfront Toronto agenda item.
Council digging into debate on Woodbine casino expansion. Here's a confusing table on what it'd mean for city revenue http://t.co/lXPXIwvJXL
My position on Woodbine expansion is probably best summed up as "okay, whatever." You can watch the debate here: http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=16&sid=1030&lve=71561
The social argument: "a large part of gambling spending in Ontario is coming from a small group of vulnerable people" http://t.co/qAqGJSdWcG
Mammoliti says problem gamblers currently travel outside TO. Allowing them to gamble closer to home makes it easier to help them, he says.
Sure, they'll put it right next to Woodbine Live! https://x.com/TheTorontoSun/status/618850962556518400
Toronto Sun@TheTorontoSun
Woodbine eyed as site for NFL stadium, Rob Ford says. http://t.co/oDbZCNKFSZ #TOpoli
Rob Ford is up to speak in favour of casinos. He wants every ward to get $100K in revenue from expanded gambling. http://t.co/c3PccKPbSA
Rob Ford on gambling addiction: "It's up to you to have control. Again, I can talk from experience."
Extra points to any councillor who works a reference to Gamblor (and his neon claws) into their Woodbine casino speech.
Pre-empting all your ledes: council doubles down on Woodbine casino; council antes up on casino; expanded casino in the cards for Woodbine
Frances Nunziata says some anti-casino councillors are being hypocritical because they took part in an NFL pool last term.
Coun. Jim Karygiannis has five daughters, all of whom are teachers, he tells us. Good factoid for the back of his #tocouncil trading card.
"They CANOED there, to see the FALLS!" says Coun. Perruzza, miming a paddling motion. I can't provide any context. I'm sorry.
Mayor Tory is final speaker on the Woodbine casino item. He says casino critics haven't offered alternative plan for this part of the city.
"I have been picked on for the last number of years now, and I have rights..." and Mammoliti goes on, angry at the socialists in the room.
Board of Health recommendation to limit hours at expanded Woodbine casino hours fails 19-25. http://t.co/brScS6oJDX
De Bearemaeker motion amending some requirements passes 32-12. Voting pattern indicates we're deep in the weeds here. http://t.co/nd1lany5ZH
"Labour Peace" requirement for expanded casino passes 38-6. http://t.co/1OuZWUzNNb
Nunziata: "Councillor De Baeremaeker, what do you have in the bowl?" De Baeremaeker: "Organic strawberries."
Shelley Carroll tried to amend Ford's motion to include participatory budgeting. Loses on a tie, 22-22. http://t.co/1ncvDZX2DY
...then Ford's motion to give $100K of casino revenues to all 44 wards fails 21-23. Okay. http://t.co/w4zsvodDnU
Karygiannis motion to direct 2% of casino profits toward anti-gambling initiatives for youngsters FAILS 19-25. http://t.co/OpcTRhkaQe
And finally council votes 25-19 in support of expanded gambling at Woodbine. First step toward a casino. http://t.co/xTwfpoQ0nr
As expected, Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong opposed the mayor on expanded gambling. But he wasn't really vocal about it.
(I refuse to use "gaming" in place of "gambling" unless they plan to have Double Dragon and X-Men: The Arcade Game at Woodbine too.)
Council votes 25-10 to deal with Karygiannis' Uber motion now, as opposed to later. "No speeches!" urges Councillor Perks.
Mammoliti, of course, wants to deliver a speech.
Now Mammoliti backs off, and says he won't speak, unless someone else speaks, in which case he says he reserves the right to speak.
But now Coun. Di Giorgio has amendments he wants to make to the Uber item. His colleagues are unhappy about this.
Here's Di Giorgio's Uber amendment. He wants the police to enforce laws and bylaw officers to enforce bylaws. http://t.co/e9cBtbgqjq
This is the Karygiannis Uber motion we're dealing with. Seconded by Tory. It's a report request. http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2015.MM8.28
AND now Mammoliti is speaking. He says the taxi industry is about to "lose their shirt." He wants more enforcement re: Uber.
And now council is taking a five minute recess for some reason. This issue, man. Can we just upload the taxi industry to the province?
Back from recess, Coun. Shiner moves to call the question, meaning no debating, just voting. That passes 30-5. http://t.co/ESkj3RJ2He
First amendment, to communicate with Uber drivers about the regulations and risks, passes 36-1. http://t.co/GsFe4A64y1
First part of second amendment, to ask police to enforce laws passes 35-2. http://t.co/FyBWZUXeBF
Second part of second amendment, to ask bylaw officers to enforce bylaws, passes 38-0. http://t.co/oZeWvxcRos
It's not clear that those motions will do anything.
Uber item as amended passes 38-0. Report will come back in September re: updating taxi regulations to include fancy technology and such.
Motion by @mary_margaret32 to request provincial legislation to protect pedestrians and cyclists passes 36-2. http://t.co/Demt3GH9OD
You can watch the live stream of tonight's Brampton Council meeting regarding the LRT here: http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=16&sid=1126&lve=71531
Just tuned in to a deputant who is concerned that the LRT will mean engineers will show up and order the destruction of heritage buildings.
Multitasking tonight. Non-stop action in the Elliott household. http://t.co/U21b1HztNT
At Brampton Council, deputant sarcastically suggests Santa Claus will be electrocuted by overhead LRT wires during annual parade.
Current Brampton LRT deputant advocates for a tunnel. Yeah, a tunnel. From my windrow to yours.
Common thread is businesses opposing transit projects primarily due to construction period impacts. Cities should consider prop tax rebates.
Brampton council calls deputants "delegates." And councillors don't question them. And motions still make copious use of the word "whereas."
Toronto Council used to do the "whereas" thing too. Almost as ridiculous as the chain of office and the "your worship" styling.
These Brampton motions are a million words long. Whereas this is a motion and whereas I am reading it and whereas we are made of carbon.
Swing vote Brampton councillor moves for a six week deferral on LRT. Won't reveal how he'll vote if council rejects deferral. Drama!
And Brampton council votes to defer the LRT decision for six weeks.
Eleven innings of unsatisfying Blue Jays baseball. Four hours of inconclusive Brampton council debate. Damn my life choices.
Council votes 28-11 to re-appoint Andy Pringle to the police board. Oh wait, now Norm Kelly says he mis-voted. http://t.co/kAmDUKKmRg
