City Council — March 2015

Tory refuses to use the "Line 1" and "Line 2" designations for Toronto subway lines. He's holding firm.

Ford & Mammoliti vote against introduction of the exec committee's budget recommendations. Incoherent grandstanding. http://t.co/E9EirRlBGh

City numbers on total Toronto property tax increases (all classes), 2006-2015. http://t.co/r5a2tqXmHk

Real-time budget graphing. Here's where new positions are being added in the 2015 recommended operating budget. http://t.co/cQ3A7nNRHe

CFO says motions may be coming today to reduce number of TTC positions. But it's hard to increase bus service without bus drivers.

Toronto repair backlog for Gardiner, major roads and local roads. (Fixed typo.) http://t.co/RraXmwjBtN

Simple rule of thumb is that whenever someone says "double taxation" they're probably being disingenuous about everything.

(Relevant: http://everystockphoto.s3.amazonaws.com/found_cartoon_671212_o.gif)

Since amalgamation, CFO says, annual tax increases have been about 0.66% lower than inflation on average.

Tory says 97.1% of votes in mayoral election went to candidates who promised inflationary tax increases. Okay.

Tory says 3 or 4 per cent property tax increases would be the "easy way out."

Here's your ridiculous Mammo motion of the morning. Let's move on. http://t.co/85cKaXxOAL

With about one million households in Toronto, Mammo's motion would cost the city at least $227-million. There is no plan to pay for this.

Mammoliti also appears to have moved a motion to do a thing that already exists. Current threshold is $38K. http://t.co/nR5IrsE3x7

Councillors are doing their best to point this out to Mammoliti, but he thinks they're trying to make fun of him.

Perks moves to increase total tax rate by another 1.59%, to avoid all that stuff about borrowing to fill the gap. http://t.co/hAxCPWYF7G

Perks' motion is probably the most fiscally responsible approach to city finances we'll hear about today. It won't pass, though.

Aw man.

Councillor Rob Ford has 30 motions related to the budget #TOpoli http://t.co/TAhCbnVBrE

Now Rob Ford moves that residential property tax be set at 1.99%, inclusive of subway, CVA, policy shift and, yeah, whatever.

Ford is now giving a speech about garbage.

Ford seems to misunderstand how garbage fees work. Households pay a rate based on bin size, then receive a rebate paid by property taxes.

If you love me at all, you wouldn't air that speech on any newscasts. It has no informational value.

Ford seems concerned for households that have more than one garbage bin. I'd prefer to not subsidize people that need multiple garbage bins.

Now Perruzza moves to delete the levy that funds the city's share of the Scarborough subway. He slips and says "shitty" instead of "city."

So we have a motion on a table that'd effectively defund the Scarborough subway. Always fun times on budget day.

Moeser asks Perruzza where he'll get money to cancel property tax increases for seniors. Perruzza pulls some change out of his pocket.

Councillor Davis won't support budget. Says she wants a property tax increase that "reflects the reality of our financial situation."

Notable that council's left isn't pushing spending increases today, but rather just a different revenue strategy.

Worst talking point of the municipal populist: people have an opportunity to donate to city on their tax bill, but pretty much no one does.

They use that as a reason to keep property taxes low.

And we're about to vote on the property tax rates. After that, they'll debate the budget those rates will pay for.

As expected, Speaker Nunziata has ruled Perruzza's motion to defund the Scarborough subway out of order.

Council rejects Perks' proposed property tax increase, 10-34. Maybe next year. http://t.co/jQcvgi1xQK

Councillor Rob Ford motion to limit the tax increase to 1.99% for some reason FAILS 2-42. http://t.co/OT7qavhOZg

Augimeri motion to tie the seniors' property tax emption to inflation PASSES 26-18. Tory loses! http://t.co/Gq0MX06vPa

And Toronto's 2015 property tax rates are approved 36-8. But Perruzza wants a revote. So we're doing this again.

2015 tax rates are approved again on a 36-8 vote. But now Norm Kelly has voted wrong. So we're doing it again.

"Red is no and green is yes," explains Chair Frances Nunziata.

Property tax rates pass again, 36-8. The clerk reading the vote result can't help but laugh.

Here's the final vote on the property tax rates, for the record. http://t.co/Wt4aSnKza2

Councillors still in closed session. They're definitely not getting this done in one day.

Length of Toronto council budget debates, approximately. 2011: 17 hours. 2012: 8 hours. 2013: 11.5 hours. 2014: 19 hours.

That 2012 budget year was the most efficient. Councillors went in, overruled a bunch of Ford cuts, then hit the pub. Done in one.

Councillor Pasternak wants the city's name and logo on the UP Express trains. Does anyone know a company that can make labels?

Council vote coming up on whether to charge full cost recovery to businesses that discharge polluted water.

Council votes 39-3 to keep details of the Metrolinx negotiations confidential. Also the clerk's computer is broken. http://t.co/4l6z9cQ7CF

It looks like it could be a graphics problem, @TorontoCouncil. Try wiggling the VGA cable a bit.

Believe council procedures state that in case of voting machine malfunction all remaining items will be decided by combat.

Council votes 18-23 to reject Layton's polluter pays motion. Similar motion failed 18-22 in 2012.

I get now why monarchy was an appealing form of government prior to the invention of vote counting machines.

First up at this morning's council session: the garbage budget. Be prepared for incomprehensible speeches about double taxation.

Here's the single family residential garbage collection fees proposed in the 2015 budget. http://t.co/4NYG2xAKX8

And here's the breakdown of households by garbage bin size. http://t.co/Ca7y5MVSme

Here's a depressing visual about what Torontonians put in their garbage bin. 38% green bin stuff; 29% recyclables. http://t.co/NrsLqxI3VH

Here's the city's recent landfill diversion rates, plus 2015 target. Original target of 70% by 2016 won't be met. http://t.co/HES71j0wFv

Councillor Di Giorgio wants to know if households could get two small-sized garbage bins instead of one larger-sized bin. Uh, okay.

Councillor Campbell calls the question on the garbage budget. Council votes 6-36. Debate will continue. http://t.co/VC4sEuGyHE

Do a lot of low-income seniors in single family homes require large garbage bins? Councillors seem deeply concerned about this demo.

Tory rises to state support for amendments by Palacio and Holyday that ask for reports on bin fees for next budget.

Mammoliti says he feels like he was making good points about the garbage issue yesterday, but people were laughing at him. Yeah, weird.

Councillor Karygiannis suggests he has an "infestation" of rooming houses in his ward.

Councillor Carroll points out that net fee for small bin garbage pick-up is twenty cents a week. "That's your seniors discount!" she says.

Councillor Ford is speaking again. He argues that garbage collection costs are covered by property tax payments. They are not. Moving on.

Nunziata rules Ford's motion re: freezing garbage rebates out of order. He challenges that. Chair is upheld, 37-4. http://t.co/7OSmQetOPi

Good job with that "official opposition" thing. You've got three whole allies on a 45-member council.

Mammoliti motion to look at cheaper garbage fees for priority neighbourhoods fails 15-27. http://t.co/9tYgQGhMGF

Is there a typo in this Tory motion? How do 25 TTC positions work out to just 174K? (Maybe 2.5?) https://x.com/reporterdonpeat/status/575695659547955202

Council votes 28-14 in favour of Palacio motion to look at 2016 garbage fee freeze. http://t.co/ZJAOUCiHji

Re: TTC positions. Okay.

@GraphicMatt Partially City-funded.

Karygiannis motion asking for study on effect of rooming houses on garbage collection costs FAILS 19-23. http://t.co/mvzeGWspTs

Carroll motion requesting Toronto join National Zero Waste Council passes 40-2. http://t.co/a3aH7tL9ps

Solid waste budget as related to 2015 solid waste fees passes 32-10. Solid list of populist councillors. http://t.co/VH1BcmgowF

Remainder of garbage budget passes 37-6. Time for lunch. http://t.co/6ioRh4X9NN

Toronto Parking Authority budget passes unanimously. And so: on to the main event. Capital & Operating.

Feel like we're pretty close to some councillors moving to exempt seniors from all taxes, fees and costs. Just in time for the boomers.

For those keeping score, council's agenda went like this: 1) taxes 2) water 3) garbage 4) parking 5) everything else.

Councillor Karygiannis claims the TTC has tried to charge him $42K for information about the McNicoll bus garage.

That actually seems like a pretty good revenue tool for transit.

From the new UofT report, this transit map for Scarborough looks pretty appealing. (via http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/home/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.home/files/docs/Choices%20for%20Scarborough%20Final%20Mar11.pdf) http://t.co/poMpqTpgd1

Ford gets up to question Tory, which I guess is allowed even though we're still on staff questions.

Tory moves a motion to add back one position each to integrity commissioner and ombudsman.

Tory refers to "history" and "perhaps some emotion" others have with the integrity commissioner and ombudsman. Hm.

Budget committee cut six requested positions from ombudsman and two from integrity commish. Tory motion adds back one to each.

Clerk posted a redacted version of council presentation re: Metrolinx. Illuminating stuff. http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-77890.pdf http://t.co/A7i1ClViyY

Complaints received by the Toronto ombudsman, 2009-2014. (via http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/Strategic%20Communications/City%20Budget/2015/PDFs/Presentations/OM%20Budget%20Presentation%202015.pdf) http://t.co/BBQiuepsxV

And now Ford is moving a bunch of motions to cut things. Imagine all the cuts he could make if he were mayor.

I'm only going to tweet factual things Ford says during this part of the budget debate.

As Ford speaks, here's a chart of complaints to the integrity commissioner, 2008-2014. http://t.co/ra3Od1OCGK

Ford sits down.

And here's Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, calling for the return of the vehicle registration tax for TTC accessibility http://t.co/2JZmGd797V

Hell of a speech from Kristyn Wong-Tam. A passionate defence of progressive policy from a progressive person. What a novel approach.

I think Layton was even trying to do a bit of a Frank Underwood accent. It was quite the thing.

Mammoliti says something in Italian. Augimeri translates it to phrase containing the word "idiot." Karygiannis objects to use of word.

Councillor Colle refers to the "very very real people on Twitter." Hear that, Twitter? You're real. You're very very real.

Councillor Minnan-Wong stands up and attempts to recommend a few motions, but gets confused and gives up. It's been a long meeting.

Councillor Di Giorgio has been giving a speech for several months now. Seasons have come and gone. Time makes us bolder.

Councillor Crawford is up to speak. Last speaker. I want him to present an abstract painting depicting the budget process.

(It'd be all just angry lines and circles.)

Proposal for 1 Bloor West is 80 storeys. And, really, I'd be okay with going even higher. http://urbantoronto.ca/database/projects/one

Speaker rules Rob Ford's motion to eliminate the park ranger program out of order as no such program exists.

Steel yourself for an eventual Ford press release that claims he eliminated the park ranger program, saving millions.

John Tory's motion to give one position each to ombudsman and integrity commissioner PASSES 39-4. http://t.co/AdkCNzaOGv

Ford motion to eliminate the urban agriculture program, which exists, FAILS 6-38. Wong-Tam hit the wrong button. http://t.co/zzRjDdo2X9

Just get a sticky note and write "FORD MOTION = NO." Tape it to your monitor.

Re-vote on urban agriculture program. Ford motion to kill it FAILS 4-40. But now Gord Perks has voted the wrong way.

I am not going to include this vote in any kind of scorecard. I promise.

Council votes 2-42 to reject Ford's motion to eliminate the Environmental Trails Program. http://t.co/Jeij1YYF87

Ford motion to cut Tory's office budget FAILS 1-43. http://t.co/y05Ab7lIdV

Ford motion to cut 20 new TTC station supervisor positions FAILS 2-42. http://t.co/LPILGlJPts

Ford motion to eliminate 4 new City Planning positions FAILS 5-39. Close one. http://t.co/WSugHa30GJ

Ford motion to eliminate 3 other new City Planning positions FAILS 5-39. http://t.co/K46WOnd8of

Ford motion to eliminate increased funding for tree planting FAILS 4-40. This is what leadership looks like. http://t.co/fsnpb0Z870

Ford motion to eliminate a different source of tree planting funding FAILS 3-41. http://t.co/EE14dVHahR

Ford motion to standardize public library hours by cutting some of them FAILS 3-40. http://t.co/1bbwUEdyp4

Ford motion to reduce library collection budget FAILS 1-42. http://t.co/4DNcHSXW5B

Ford motion to eliminate two climate change-related jobs FAILS 5-39. http://t.co/PaoAPlxfYj

Ford motion to reallocate money planned for shelter space in motel rooms FAILS 3-41. http://t.co/a0kkKvtel7

I assume this will end at some point.

Ford motion to cut $0.579m increase to student nutrition FAILS 2-41. http://t.co/r43gCsgSdF

Ford motion to cut planned improvements to Yonge & 401 interchange because hey why not FAILS 4-40. http://t.co/fbPDvJ66Pk

Ford motion to discontinue development of 311 module to accept customer payments FAILS 3-41. http://t.co/tzPXcrJ5Hy

Ford motion to reduce external grants by $5m FAILS 3-41. http://t.co/dkeHceg5Mk

Ford motion to have staff report on better ways to measure impact of grant funding CARRIES 24-20. Peace in our time. http://t.co/Lkr7C0uRZo

Ford motion to eliminate security guards at libraries because nothing bad ever happens at the library FAILS 3-40. http://t.co/skxMVdvMvv

Ford motion to eliminate council's general expense and travel budgets FAILS 3-41. http://t.co/uyaXCQExqq

Ford motion to increase target wait time at city hall revenue services counter by five minutes FAILS 4-40. http://t.co/38tFlyMLGa

Ford motion to freeze councillor office and salary budgets for 2015 FAILS 6-38. http://t.co/Pf2ya1Bnaz

Ford motion to maintain garbage rates at 2014 levels, at a cost of $18m, FAILS 4-40. http://t.co/pQjYfmraBx

And that's it for the Ford motions. What a ride. Thanks for sharing that with me -- oh wait, Perruzza wants a re-vote.

Re-vote on Ford motion to maintain garbage fees at 2014 levels, at cost of $18m, FAILS again 6-37. http://t.co/CoH0FpedOO

Gord Perks motion to increase public health budget by $100K gross for climate change position PASSES 29-15. http://t.co/iVgtQUpTiL

Doucette motion to restore $200K to library to reinstate security guard budget PASSES 23-20. Tory loses. Huh. http://t.co/7a8rQpf4U9

Janet Davis motion to eliminate 5% user fee increase for indoor ice permits FAILS 20-24. http://t.co/h7nSBLIxQm

Layton motion to look at opening community centres on family day in 2016 passes 40-4. Ford votes yes. http://t.co/HzmGtBmYWe

Back to this. Ford motion to look at charging low-income people to use the Welcome Policy FAILS 4-40. http://t.co/Gp4mZBePah

We're re-opening that last one to fix a mistake.

Re-vote. Ford motion to look at charging low-income people to use the Welcome Policy FAILS again 3-41. http://t.co/PrLKd58cJW

Ford motion to put stronger wording into city RFPs stipulating penalties PASSES 29-15. Life finds a way. http://t.co/dixmHtWdOf

Ford motion to axe Pan Am Funding like four months before the Pan Am games FAILS 11-33. http://t.co/o37VJQP4nh

Now Di Giorgio wants a vote re-opened so he can re-examine it. Says he didn't get a chance to read it. All right.

Quick clarification: Ford's Pan Am motion was to look at corporate funding so city could eliminate Pan Am Host City Showcase funding.

Ford motion to request province to allow city to tack library fines onto property tax bill FAILS 6-37. http://t.co/ivPHC8WGYn

(I do not know how that would work for renters. Would be fun to stick your landlord with massive library fines.)

Ford motion to study reducing staff-management ratios in social services FAILS 9-35. http://t.co/57HtLmABqe

Similar Ford motion re: staff-management ratios FAILS 3-41. http://t.co/0Ay2buGhXO

Ford motion to request report on accelerating implementation of KPMG Shared Services Study FAILS 15-29. http://t.co/djvN4jEMSU

Ford motion for report on selling the St. Lawrence Centre FAILS 4-40. http://t.co/JlQH9d9jMa

Ford motion requesting councillors donate their 2015 salary increases to the repair backlog at TCHC FAILS 4-40. http://t.co/rKmAfh9Kf7

And that is finally it for Ford-related motions. Tory's team should start clocking the amount of time this takes.

Wong-Tam motion to look at reinstating the vehicle registration tax FAILS 14-30. Know your councillor's vote. http://t.co/LovW8XYRYE

Gord Perks motion to get report on buying 60 extra new streetcars PASSES 27-17. Tory votes against. http://t.co/zLHYtyzl4I

My sense is that Tory doesn't like on-the-fly motions, would prefer councillors worked through committees.

Budget as it relates to integrity commissioner passes 40-3. http://t.co/gcbeghYs1T

Budget as it relates to the library passes 41-2. http://t.co/DnyLwRLyJO

Lots of talk about House of Cards on the council floor today. Time for a Toronto Works program?

Following a slew of conflict-of-interest votes, Toronto's 2015 budget as amended passes 42-2. Fin. http://t.co/2JkHsrllzd

Meeting is over. If you haven't muted or unfollowed me after all that: congratulations, you nerd.