Cllr Fletcher going into deep history (1998) about money set aside for the Main Square development, the old Neighbourhood Services Committee, etc. "Did the new City spend four million dollars in vain?" I begrudgingly admit I am mildly interested.
As expected, Cllr Carroll has a motion to increase the tax break for small businesses and balance it out with hiking rates for the rest of the commercial property tax subclass. She also has another motion which I don't think does very much
@GraphicMatt is also liveblogging with commentary!
Cllr Perks is absent as his mother has recently passed away (there is a moment of silence for her).
Speaker Nunziata is still reading out the explanation of how the budget works. Since the provincial "strong mayor" legislation (instituted when John Tory was mayor and the province was more kindly inclined to the idea), the Mayor has much more power over the budget, and Council only has the opportunity to vote on the distribution of certain funds. She can also veto amendments for up to 10 days after the meeting.
Mayor Chow has set a 2.2% increase in residential property tax, which is basically rock bottom. This has fueled speculation that she will run again in the mayoral election this fall. Really, there are no downsides to this:
A) she runs again, opponents unable to attack her for high taxes (yes, previous years' increases were higher, but the taxpayer won't be able to remember it)
B) someone else wins the election (either because she loses or doesn't run at all): they are financially screwed and have to raise taxes more anyway, and if she runs again in the future she can attack them for either i) high taxes, ii) the social costs of austerity, or iii) both
Oh, also as per my West End Phoenix calendar, today is the birthday of the Eaton Centre!
Cllr Pasternak is taking the opportunity to inveigh against pro-Palestinian protests as "mobs on the street" and citing arrest and charge numbers that I frankly would double-check, alleging the police are "hiding behind the Charter" ("protecting the Charter" is the reply from police). No, this is not on topic.
Cllr Saxe stands up to ask the City Manager, "Why are we raising taxes again this year?" Most of the seats in my section are taken up by staff, and I hear a tired sotto voce "Oh my God…" from somewhere. The problem with "playing dumb" poorly is that if you don't pull it off, you come off as "actually dumb".
Chat, is anyone confused about why the City needs to raise taxes every year? I can explain if people really need it.
Saxe next asks a question on everyone's mind: given the massive police corruption scandal just uncovered, are any changes to the police budget warranted? This is mostly rhetorical so I don't pay attention to the answer. (The police budget is getting their requested increase and that is unlikely to change unless the mayor personally desires it, which given aforesaid upcoming election she probably doesn't)
