There is an interesting contract in the weekend papers in terms of Toronto’s future. The Toronto Star’s GTA secton on Saturday has several stories about how the city is doomed financially because it simply doesn’t have the revenue and taxation sources to pay for all the services it provides. To be honest, it’s disheartening because it paints a picture of a city in financial crisis with only one way to go: down. Unless something dramatic happens – and I’m not sure it’s just a New Deal with Queen’s Park – all the things we like about Toronto will disappear: clean streets, social services, well-run community centres, low user-fees, accessible services for people with lower incomes, etc. Royson James offers up the more troubling scenario with the possibility that Toronto may have to declare bankruptcy one day – much like what New York City did. Meanwhile, the Globe’s John Barber tells us in Saturday’s paper to “don’t worry, be happy” – suggesting our concerns about traffic congestion, a lack of parking spots, etc. shouldn’t really concern us. Maybe, he’s the eternal optimistic, while the Star is riding the attention-grabbing doom and gloom pony. In any event, I’m feeling terribly uneasy about Toronto’s future. We just don’t seem to have the leadership to create a vision for the future or the financial formula to ensure the city keeps working efficiently. At some point, something’s got to give.
February 28, 2006 at 8:37 pm
We have a city leadership that caters to the loudest and most influential NIMBY group, with all that implies. And why do we have such a civic leadership? Why, we elected them, of course. We listened to cultural leaders who assured us that we never had to think about the industrial sources of our prosperity, and then almost half of us voted for a mayor who made the concept that no neighbourhood should ever have to sacrifice anything for the city as a whole into the cornerstone of his platform.
March 3, 2006 at 5:28 pm
That may or may not be true, John. I happend to disagree with your characterization of the Mayor’s position.
However, I fail to see how we can lay this fiscal crisis at the Mayor’s feet. No city can support the sorts of services that the Province has downloaded to Toronto on the sort of tax base that the current legislation provides.
Toronto ratepayers are being forced to fund regional social, transport and housing issues. Since Toronto is the hub of the regional (and national) economy, it draws an increasing burden which is not tied to its revenue base. Vancouver is experiencing very similar issues.
This is a made in Toronto problem alright: Queen’s Park is in Toronto.
July 26, 2007 at 1:42 pm
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