I thanked the Mayor, did you??

[afong56]

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well, it's been a year now

how does everyone feel about what they wrote in this thread?

wonder how torontonians would grade their mayor on a year end report card. . .

 

[stormcat]

I despise that sweaty, red lump of a pompous, arrogant, belligerent mayor.

I didn't vote for him. Those who did got what they deserved, IMO.

 

[short stop]

I'm just glad I don't live in Toronto.

Toronto got the mayor it deserved. Here's a tip, voters: you don't get more for less.

 

[TimC]

he gets a "B" from me so far

he could improve by polishing up his delivery...but we knew going in that he wasn't strong there

he's been a bull in a china shop but we've needed that after the 8 years under Miller

Union's are worried and eating crow with the new Garbage deal, and even TPS for the first time in history kept their budget pretty much flat....there has been no cuts yet, but the riot act has been read and the departments are coming back and presenting lowered budgets after finding the efficiencies they were told to find....and the TTC has lost the ability to go on strike....looks like progress to me
.
after nearly a decade of endless new fees and constantly increasing taxes we've got zero increases and one less tax....so the culture change down at city hall is happening and long overdue

check out that raving socialist Adam Vaughn...under Miller he'd nearly max out that little office budget of his....now under Ford's rule he's one of the lowest spenders....it's for obvious reasons (that he'll run for Mayor next round) but it speaks volumes about why Ford won the election

I've seen zero difference in daily life with regard to how the city is running....and I"m a TTC regular and live in North York

he is doing what he said he was going to do, and it is far from an easy job....I personally wouldn't take that job on for twice the salary

stay the course Mr. Ford....he may have a bit too much Tommy Boy in him for some folks to handle, but I trust that he goes to work every day trying to do what he was elected to do, something I can't remember seeing in a politican

 

[Chaos]

I am not going to judge until the next budget comes out. I'll very curious to see how he deals with the budget shortfall after he cut some taxes.

I do like the privatization of the garbage pickup, though.

 

[afong56]

I despise that sweaty, red lump of a pompous, arrogant, belligerent mayor.

I didn't vote for him. Those who did got what they deserved, IMO.

is a mayor an image, or a job? or both?

a lot of people would have described megacity mel as arrogant, pompous, and belligerent as well. . .

I'm just glad I don't live in Toronto.

Toronto got the mayor it deserved. Here's a tip, voters: you don't get more for less.

the question is not more for less, is it? i don't think that was what ford promised.

i thought the question was, do torontonians get the same for less?

he gets a "B" from me so far

he could improve by polishing up his delivery...but we knew going in that he wasn't strong there

he's been a bull in a china shop but we've needed that after the 8 years under Miller

Union's are worried and eating crow with the new Garbage deal, and even TPS for the first time in history kept their budget pretty much flat....there has been no cuts yet, but the riot act has been read and the departments are coming back and presenting lowered budgets after finding the efficiencies they were told to find....and the TTC has lost the ability to go on strike....looks like progress to me
.
after nearly a decade of endless new fees and constantly increasing taxes we've got zero increases and one less tax....so the culture change down at city hall is happening and long overdue

check out that raving socialist Adam Vaughn...under Miller he'd nearly max out that little office budget of his....now under Ford's rule he's one of the lowest spenders....it's for obvious reasons (that he'll run for Mayor next round) but it speaks volumes about why Ford won the election

I've seen zero difference in daily life with regard to how the city is running....and I"m a TTC regular and live in North York

he is doing what he said he was going to do, and it is far from an easy job....I personally wouldn't take that job on for twice the salary

stay the course Mr. Ford....he may have a bit too much Tommy Boy in him for some folks to handle, but I trust that he goes to work every day trying to do what he was elected to do, something I can't remember seeing in a politican

yes, but that's with only a negligible effect on the $775 million dollar deficit that ford constantly cites. what sort of daily effect will you feel when he actually (if he does) make a real dent, say $500 million?

he arguably is trying, but is he succeeding in doing what he proposed? shouldn't we measure him in terms of actual results?
and as for what he promised, where was that plan to build a monorail in his campaign promises?

I am not going to judge until the next budget comes out. I'll very curious to see how he deals with the budget shortfall after he cut some taxes.

I do like the privatization of the garbage pickup, though.

i suspect that $700+ million shortfall will be even bigger next time, unless of course he was wrong about that number from the get go.
it will be interesting to see what sacred cows still avoid "the efficiencies" with each successive round. . .
it appears that police services has established their status as untouchables, even with their massive budget.

 

[TimC]

he arguably is trying, but is he succeeding in doing what he proposed?

he is definitely succeeding

TPS is on a flat-line budget for the next 2 years...unheard of (will see if Blair holds to the mandate)...Ford is downsizing the municiple gov't through attrition...no new hires etc

Miller hired thousands under his tenure and increased the already bloated municiple Gov't to a level that can't be fixed in 12 months

Ford has a massive fight on his hands and I've yet to see him back down from his position.

Ford and his brother wouldn't even vote to ban the shark fins....their position had nothing to do with shark fins...and only that the municiple gov't should keep their nose outta that sort of stuff and just run the damn city instead of any sort of social engineering waste

they seem to be the type that think that Gov't is way too big and way too inefficient and they're bang on the money imo....and we're only 1 year in...let's give them time

we'll no doubt have a property tax increase next year...and I'll bet Tommy Boy will be sick to his stomach when that happens....and I like that

Miller would just harp about this world class crap and ding us twice the rate of inflation

 

[stormcat]

is a mayor an image, or a job? or both?

Definitely both. But I would change the term image to role model.

I have issues with his attitude for one thing. E.g., giving a woman and her small child the finger, thinking he's above the law, running away from Mary Walsh and calling 911 like some scared little schoolgirl, being belligerent to 911 staff, trying to abolish bicycle lanes and vilify people who choose to ride bicycles, teaming up with that crass loudmouth Don Cherry, etc.

I also have issues with his cutbacks. In particular, cutbacks to public libraries and humane services. Neither receive enough funding as it is. So he basically wants a bunch of illiterate Torontonians (I'm not surprised since he had no idea who Margaret Atwood is himself), and animal shelters to struggle even more with the overabundance of strays and unwanted animals. *sigh*

Ford is an embarrassment.

 

[Chaos]

I also have issues with his cutbacks. In particular, cutbacks to public libraries and humane services. Neither receive enough funding as it is. So he basically wants a bunch of illiterate Torontonians (I'm not surprised since he had no idea who Margaret Atwood is himself), and animal shelters to struggle even more with the overabundance of strays and unwanted animals. *sigh*

If Toronto has a deficit, how do you propose these services get funded?

 

[LiNK666]

Ford is an embarrassment.

Maybe, but less of an embarrassment than the last five mayors combined.

It's only been year 1 and he's done a lot more in year 1 than a lot of his predecessors. Also, with this guy you know what you get. He doesn't act fake or w/e. He's straight up this is who I am and this is what I do... which is a lot better than being politically correct/tool/fake etc...

I will wait to see a bit more before making a complete judgement on him. If he can balance the books than I shall be happy with him.

 

[rafiki911]

They can start by selling all the vacant properties they own around the city, they can change up the road contracts to a company that does a good job rather than the cheapest bidder and having the same roads worked on over and over again, do better investigations with who gets social services and what, stop paying certain positions within the city with rediculous amout of money(why are some employees getting well over 100,000 a year? Is the work they do worth that???). So many things that can be cut instead of Libraries on Sundays and other important things.

Don't get me started on the TTC... its a joke. They keep on hiking the prices for people to use it and the service doesn't get any better they don't get any more reliable. Do they not know if they make it cheaper they will get more people riding on it there for more money???

If Toronto has a deficit, how do you propose these services get funded?

 

[Chaos]

They can start by selling all the vacant properties they own around the city, they can change up the road contracts to a company that does a good job rather than the cheapest bidder and having the same roads worked on over and over again, do better investigations with who gets social services and what, stop paying certain positions within the city with rediculous amout of money(why are some employees getting well over 100,000 a year? Is the work they do worth that???). So many things that can be cut instead of Libraries on Sundays and other important things.

Don't get me started on the TTC... its a joke. They keep on hiking the prices for people to use it and the service doesn't get any better they don't get any more reliable. Do they not know if they make it cheaper they will get more people riding on it there for more money???

Selling vacant properties - ok, but that's just a one time revenue shot. That won't sustain paying for services.

Road contracts - sure

high salaries - agreed, but at the same time, you have to pay talent to do the job. I am not opposed to paying good salaries as long as the results substantiate it. Ironically, you're saying the road repairs should be better quality and not to the cheapest bidder. Well, if you lower salaries to a certain point, you lose talented individuals, causing more waste.

ttc - the ttc requires more financial help from the gov't of ontario. I read somewhere that the TTC is the most funded transportation service by a municipal government in all of Canada.


This goes to a larger issue that the city of Toronto is a net tax loser. For all the money the citizens pay in federal, and provincial taxes, we only get a fraction of that back. If those funds were better balanced, then the city could better afford the services that we're looking for, including a healthier transportation system, more operating hours for libraries, etc.

 

[rafiki911]

high salaries - agreed, but at the same time, you have to pay talent to do the job. I am not opposed to paying good salaries as long as the results substantiate it.

Ironically, you're saying the road repairs should be better quality and not to the cheapest bidder. Well, if you lower salaries to a certain point, you lose talented individuals, causing more waste.

There are definately employees that are getting well over $100,000 that should be making 60-70,000 max. Trust me no matter how hard they work their job will never be worth that much.

The road work is contracted out, has nothing do do with the high salaries I'm talking about. When a job needs to be done by an outside contract the city puts out what they want and send it out and the lowest bidder gets the job. There needs to be someone to check the quality of the work being done at least if they are going with the lowest bidder.

In the long run getting the cheapest bidder doing a crappy job costs the city way more money then just getting a quality company to do a quality job.

 

[RockerGuy]

he gets a "B" from me so far

he could improve by polishing up his delivery...but we knew going in that he wasn't strong there

he's been a bull in a china shop but we've needed that after the 8 years under Miller

Union's are worried and eating crow with the new Garbage deal, and even TPS for the first time in history kept their budget pretty much flat....there has been no cuts yet, but the riot act has been read and the departments are coming back and presenting lowered budgets after finding the efficiencies they were told to find....and the TTC has lost the ability to go on strike....looks like progress to me
.
after nearly a decade of endless new fees and constantly increasing taxes we've got zero increases and one less tax....so the culture change down at city hall is happening and long overdue

check out that raving socialist Adam Vaughn...under Miller he'd nearly max out that little office budget of his....now under Ford's rule he's one of the lowest spenders....it's for obvious reasons (that he'll run for Mayor next round) but it speaks volumes about why Ford won the election

I've seen zero difference in daily life with regard to how the city is running....and I"m a TTC regular and live in North York

he is doing what he said he was going to do, and it is far from an easy job....I personally wouldn't take that job on for twice the salary

stay the course Mr. Ford....he may have a bit too much Tommy Boy in him for some folks to handle, but I trust that he goes to work every day trying to do what he was elected to do, something I can't remember seeing in a politican

+1 Well said.

Maybe, but less of an embarrassment than the last five mayors combined.

LOLz, well said too. I remember when Toronto had an emergency and Miller said he was too busy because of his daughter's birthday. I also LOLz

It's only been year 1 and he's done a lot more in year 1 than a lot of his predecessors. Also, with this guy you know what you get. He doesn't act fake or w/e. He's straight up this is who I am and this is what I do... which is a lot better than being politically correct/tool/fake etc...

I will wait to see a bit more before making a complete judgement on him. If he can balance the books than I shall be happy with him.

True, he stand firmly in what he believed in. Even though some of the things I might not even agree with, like the cutting of library service and bus routes. But as someone pointed out, Toronto is in a deficit and sometimes sacrifices has to be made to balance the books.

I feel sorry for the poor saps at city hall, no free coffee and colder room temps

 

[TimC]

lots of the waste in road/sewer/sidewalk repair is because of an incredible lack of choreography, communication and accountability

my office is on the Esplande....they completed a new condo about a year ago. at Scott St...beautifully paved boulevard, trees planted etc....then the city said...oops, wrong trees and didn't echo the stone work around them with the rest of the boulevard so ripp them out and re-pave....lovely

now....less than 12 months after the fact they're ripping up the entire boulevard to replace the old sewers...so they ripped out the newly planted (for the 2nd time) trees and all the new pavement

would you handle a home project like this?.....new pavement and trees when you know you've gotta replace below grade plumbing?

the waste involved here probably involves millions and it's only one strip of boulevard that isn't even a km long

 

[rafiki911]

this....

lots of the waste in road/sewer/sidewalk repair is because of an incredible lack of choreography, communication and accountability

my office is on the Esplande....they completed a new condo about a year ago. at Scott St...beautifully paved boulevard, trees planted etc....then the city said...oops, wrong trees and didn't echo the stone work around them with the rest of the boulevard so ripp them out and re-pave....lovely

now....less than 12 months after the fact they're ripping up the entire boulevard to replace the old sewers...so they ripped out the newly planted (for the 2nd time) trees and all the new pavement

would you handle a home project like this?.....new pavement and trees when you know you've gotta replace below grade plumbing?

the waste involved here probably involves millions and it's only one strip of boulevard that isn't even a km long

 

[short stop]

Don't get me started on the TTC... its a joke. They keep on hiking the prices for people to use it and the service doesn't get any better they don't get any more reliable. Do they not know if they make it cheaper they will get more people riding on it there for more money???

You can thank the Harris government for downloading all costs for the TTC on the shoulders of the city.

As for cost, lower fares and higher ridership is the last thing the TTC would want right now.

 

[RockerGuy]

I did the math and my car doesn't cost that much to operate compared to TTC. But for the convenience, I prefer to take the car.

If I were to ride a scooter or small displacement bike, the cost would be equal and I don't have to put up with a TTC employee, long wait times and a slow boring bus

 

[rafiki911]

lol don't forget the ignorant people on the ttc...retard kids that dont take their napsacs off...the wonderful smells. lol

Before I got my bike and car I would ride my bike to work, even if it ment walking for over an hour. I can't stand the ttc.

I did the math and my car doesn't cost that much to operate compared to TTC. But for the convenience, I prefer to take the car.

If I were to ride a scooter or small displacement bike, the cost would be equal and I don't have to put up with a TTC employee, long wait times and a slow boring bus

 

[Torren]

There are definately employees that are getting well over $100,000 that should be making 60-70,000 max. Trust me no matter how hard they work their job will never be worth that much.

The road work is contracted out, has nothing do do with the high salaries I'm talking about. When a job needs to be done by an outside contract the city puts out what they want and send it out and the lowest bidder gets the job. There needs to be someone to check the quality of the work being done at least if they are going with the lowest bidder.

There is always at least 1 city inspector assigned to all city projects. Usually its 1 sr. inspector, 1 jr inspector and a supervisor. The inspectors only job is to make sure the project is completed to the contract specs. These days they are little more then walking CCTV cameras. They don't make any decisions, they just record and report back to the project engineer for $30-40/h depending on seniority. Unfortunately the jobs themselves are designed by some high salaried engineers who's priority is to get as much work done for as little as possible.

lots of the waste in road/sewer/sidewalk repair is because of an incredible lack of choreography, communication and accountability

This is spot on. I've only been involved with city projects for a couple of years now and i've seen so much waste due to miscommunication or just general stupidity it's sad. What has to be millions of dollars of complete and total waste. One example that comes to mind was a street in The Black Creek/Lawerence area. In 2008 the water main was completely rehabilitated. Cement mortar lined, all bends, tees and hydrants replaced. Should be good for at least the next 30 years. 2009 another contractor is replacing the main with a new PVC main and all related fittings including hydrants. This is all because Technical Services and Toronto Water failed to communicated to each other that the rehab had already been done.

The contractor removed the '08 hydrants and brought them back to the yard and washed them off. Proceeded to install them on his next project seeing as how they were only operated a single time when they were put into service. Dident even have to paint them.

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