Mar 1 - I'm Awake and Raring to Go
Got home from the Great Budget Debate at 4:30 a.m.thanks to Fellow Councillor Gay Cowbourne's trusty SUV!
The Budget marathon is over for another year and I'll be back in the Ward again tonight. Making a stop at the Armenian Community Centre tonight for the DVE Provincial Riding Association. It always amazes me how busy the centre is on even the coldest and snowiest of nights.
Sent out the press release below as my own little Budget Wrap-up Note:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2005
BUDGET MAKES BEST OF FINANCIAL SITUATION AND RE-INVESTS IN COMMUNITIES
Councillor Shelley Carroll, member of Council’s Budget Advisory Committee is pleased with the Budget that City Council approved in the late hours Tuesday morning. “While there is an unsustainable number of one-time funding sources in this year’s budget, I am confident that our partners in government will be bringing forward long-term solutions to our ongoing financial woes in time for next years budget.”
Councillor Carroll was optimistic in light of the federal government’s commitments to City’s in this year’s budget. “I think if we look at Paul Martin’s budget this year, we can see that there is an understanding at least, that Toronto is the economic engine of the country and is one of Canada’s trademark symbols to the world. We are not alone in terms of the infrastructure deficit in this country, but the costs of providing social services are much, much higher.”
Councillor Carroll applauded City Council’s decision to reverse the decay of City Parks that has occurred under previous regimes. “The Mayor’s Clean and Beautiful City program was designed in response to the overwhelming calls in the last municipal election to improve the services that we deliver. If we are to continue to be a draw for tourism, it is important to re-invest in our public spaces. Increasingly, tourist dollars are chasing Beauty – Re-connecting with our parks and green spaces is a critical piece of economic development and community building.”
Furthermore, it was critical to reverse the harm that has been done to the TTC in the recent past. “Purchases of new, efficient and environmentally-friendly buses has been delayed for far too long. In addition, we are increasing bus service to the parts of Toronto located outside the City core.”
“We have held ourselves to a 3 percent tax increase to homeowners and an increase of 1.5 percent to the industrial/commercial tax class. I think that’s pretty good given the over-reliance that we have on regressive property taxes.” Councillor Carroll also believes that we need to continue to “sort out our tax system and who pays for what. Successive Provincial and municipal governments have produced reports on this problem, but we’ve so far failed to really tackle it.”
Councillor Carroll vowed to continue to work with our partners in government on these issues.
Contact Shelley Carroll @ 416-392-4038
The Budget marathon is over for another year and I'll be back in the Ward again tonight. Making a stop at the Armenian Community Centre tonight for the DVE Provincial Riding Association. It always amazes me how busy the centre is on even the coldest and snowiest of nights.
Sent out the press release below as my own little Budget Wrap-up Note:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2005
BUDGET MAKES BEST OF FINANCIAL SITUATION AND RE-INVESTS IN COMMUNITIES
Councillor Shelley Carroll, member of Council’s Budget Advisory Committee is pleased with the Budget that City Council approved in the late hours Tuesday morning. “While there is an unsustainable number of one-time funding sources in this year’s budget, I am confident that our partners in government will be bringing forward long-term solutions to our ongoing financial woes in time for next years budget.”
Councillor Carroll was optimistic in light of the federal government’s commitments to City’s in this year’s budget. “I think if we look at Paul Martin’s budget this year, we can see that there is an understanding at least, that Toronto is the economic engine of the country and is one of Canada’s trademark symbols to the world. We are not alone in terms of the infrastructure deficit in this country, but the costs of providing social services are much, much higher.”
Councillor Carroll applauded City Council’s decision to reverse the decay of City Parks that has occurred under previous regimes. “The Mayor’s Clean and Beautiful City program was designed in response to the overwhelming calls in the last municipal election to improve the services that we deliver. If we are to continue to be a draw for tourism, it is important to re-invest in our public spaces. Increasingly, tourist dollars are chasing Beauty – Re-connecting with our parks and green spaces is a critical piece of economic development and community building.”
Furthermore, it was critical to reverse the harm that has been done to the TTC in the recent past. “Purchases of new, efficient and environmentally-friendly buses has been delayed for far too long. In addition, we are increasing bus service to the parts of Toronto located outside the City core.”
“We have held ourselves to a 3 percent tax increase to homeowners and an increase of 1.5 percent to the industrial/commercial tax class. I think that’s pretty good given the over-reliance that we have on regressive property taxes.” Councillor Carroll also believes that we need to continue to “sort out our tax system and who pays for what. Successive Provincial and municipal governments have produced reports on this problem, but we’ve so far failed to really tackle it.”
Councillor Carroll vowed to continue to work with our partners in government on these issues.
Contact Shelley Carroll @ 416-392-4038
posted by Ward 33 @ 3:45 PM
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