This forum blog started a discussion on the 2010 Toronto budget Oct 27 (see older posts). Today, we extend the discussion with references to 2 noteworthy newspapers articles that deserve reading by Toronto's taxpayers and voters in election year, 2010.
David Soknacki's comprehensive article comes from The Star (Jan. 22) and covers setting financial priorities for the city's ABC's: Urban vision carries a price City leaders can dream but only after they get a firm grip on hard financial realities
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/series/budgetcrunch/article/754166--urban-vision-carries-a-price
(You might remember David as a city councillor and budget chief before Shelley Carroll. He often has a column in The Mirror on city affairs.)
He starts "Voters are looking for solutions: for the city's chronic financial shortfalls, for its quarrelsome relationships with Queen's Park and Ottawa, and to fix a structure that many feel is out of touch with reality.
He discusses background : "... Toronto's mayors have been determined not to surrender control of the political agenda. It is unfortunate, though, that they have made a difficult situation far more problematic by undertaking initiatives that are breathtaking in scope, with little regard for underlying financial realities or the ability to deliver over the long term." (italics added)
He points out the vision concern " the mayor's responsibility to guarantee that dreams are achievable and sustainable. Part of the task of winning hearts and minds is to create a mandate for change or renewal."
He indicates how to work on vision politics: "to make the vision, priorities and impacts explicit to both public and bureaucracy, the mayor can present his goals to council at its opening session, to be reinforced by annual updates.
He states the big financial control problem: "A big part of the problem is that council and management exercise little control over the 119 agencies, boards and commissions that comprise most of the city's employees and provide key services, such as transit and police"
He suggests the fix: "Fixing this problem must start with council establishing mandates and operating agreements for each of its agencies. Once every term, each agency should face an effectiveness review."
And so on. The bottom line_ the Mayor's office must be leading the budget process by getting the vision out, making it affordable and agreed to in council; provide "state of the city" messages annually. And get on top of the financial direction and review of the 119 ABC's with the support of council. This does not appear to be happening.
Today in the Star Opinion section, Hugh Mackenzie of the Canadian Centre for Policy Altenatives has this article, There's no pain-free way to cure city's ills Anyone who tells you that Toronto's financial problems can be fixed without raising taxes is selling snake oil
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/760830--there-s-no-pain-free-way-to-cure-city-s-ills
His bottom line: "Why don't we think about rewarding political leaders who are prepared to talk straight about the public services we need and to engage in an adult conversation about how we're going to pay for them... That would indeed be novel. It would also be the right thing to do. Because anyone who tries to tell you that Toronto's financial problems can be addressed through this or that scheme that avoids raising taxes is either deluded or dishonest." (our bolding)
So, where can we see change and honesty coming from: Enter name of your best candidate here?
____________________________ (Was it none of current candidates?)
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