Preville on Politics

Quoth the mayor: a two-month synopsis

Posted on September 20, 2007 by Philip Preville

I’ve been perfectly clear. The city is facing a crisis. We cannot run a deficit. We need these new revenue tools. Everyone understands that. Torontonians understand that. Members of council understand that. Without new revenue tools, there will be cuts to city services. Council has spoken. I respect the will of council. I will now cut services. These cuts are necessary. There will be cuts to police services. No, there will not be cuts to police services. I have been perfectly clear.

There will be cuts to the TTC. The city is facing a crisis. Torontonians understand that. We will consult Torontonians before making any cuts to the TTC. The people of Toronto have spoken. No, there will not be cuts to the TTC. But we still need these new revenue tools. The city’s 130 community centres will be closed Mondays. I’ve listened to the people of Toronto.

I want to hear from the people of Toronto. Visit my Web site and tell me what you think about these necessary new taxes. Yes, I called them taxes. The city’s 130 community centres are now closed Mondays, except we will keep them half-open. These are the consequences of council’s decision. Council can fully reopen the community centres only if it adopts these new taxes right away. I will convene a special meeting of council. The city is facing a crisis. We cannot run a deficit. What kind of city do you want?

I will not convene a special meeting of council. Community centres will remain half-closed until I reopen them, which I will do right now. Torontonians have been perfectly clear. I respect the will of community centres. But we still need these new revenue tools, which are now called taxes. I understand that. The city is facing a deficit. We cannot run a crisis.

Comments

Neither the author nor Toronto Life necessarily agree with the comments posted below. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Read our full policy


Author Bio Pic

Philip Preville

Veteran freelance writer Philip Preville lived much of his life in Montreal and Edmonton before he was lured, like so many Torontonians before him, by the promise of more work and a better living. A National Magazine Award winner and former Canadian Journalism Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, Preville writes Toronto Life’s politics column. He lives with his wife and one-year-old son in Riverdale, just close enough to the Don Valley Parkway that he can hear it when he steps outside his house—but just far enough away that it doesn’t keep him awake at night. On his office wall hangs a 1938–39 press pass belonging to his grandfather, Elias Gannon, who wrote for the Montreal Star.


Preville on Politics RSS Feed