Scammer
Banned
Mayor Rob Ford says Toronto taxpayers can expect a lot more from him and his administration in 2011.
"We're going to have a zero per cent tax increase and we're going to put more money in the taxpayers' pocket," Ford said on Monday.
The occasion was an end of the year interview with CBC News, in which Ford also promised he'll try to end the land registry tax in 2011 and rein in spending on other fronts — including the police department.
Ford said every department — and that includes the police with an almost $900-million budget — would have to find what he calls "efficiencies" through belt tightening.
The mayor said he is leading by example.
"No one can come to me and say, 'Rob, you're asking us to do something you haven't done.' I have 16 staff in here. My predecessor had 25 staff. If someone says they can't do it, well I can do it," Ford said.
"There's fat in every department. There are no sacred cows around here. So I'm going to ask the police just like I ask everyone else, you know, you have to find efficiencies and savings."
Just a month into the job and Ford has already managed to score three major victories.
Last week his agenda items sailed through: axing the much-hated vehicle registration tax, cutting the office budgets of the mayor and city councillors and getting council to approve a motion asking the province to declare the TTC an essential service.
For 2011 Ford is promising no spending increases and a property tax freeze while at the same time promising no major service cuts.
"I won't be introducing any new taxes to hurt the citizens of the city."
Ford dismissed suggestions that freezing taxes now will only delay the inevitable.
"I take one year at a time," said Ford, "I've done that in business. I've run a successful business for many, many years with that approach."
Ford said the city must refocus on delivering core services and leave things like funding parades to the private sector.
"The city should be delivering firefighting, policing, paramedics … those types of services," he said.
The implication is that city contributions to events like Caribana and Pride Week may be withdrawn.
"There's no reason why a private sector company can't fund a parade or a festival," said Ford.
Ford also said subways will remain his focus in the new year and he repeated that any transit built above ground has no future in Toronto.
"I don't object to LRT [light rail transit] as long as everything is underground. I'm not taking away roads. I want traffic to flow in this city and that what's going to happen."
Ford said he's convinced the province will see the value of subways and help fund his plan.
The new mayor said his other priorities for 2011 include cleaning up graffiti, fixing roads and beginning the process to eliminate the land transfer tax.