March 26, 2010
Now is the Time for Dedicated Transit Funding

The Provincial Budget, having been released just yesterday, demonstrates that if ever there was a need to have dedicated funding for transit – it is now.  While the gas tax is significant and important, it alone will not be sufficient to build the required transit infrastructure for the residents across the Greater Toronto Area.  Rational, region transit decisions cannot be made in absence of predictable, reliable funding.

While there is no question that the current shortfall facing the Provincial Government requires serious action, it is disappointing that funding for transit was cut so significantly.

Once again, the Eglinton Crosstown Line is put on hold as a result of financial challenges.

While a $5 toll on the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner have been raised as an option to fund transit, there are significant political challenges and administrative hurdles that need to be overcome before road tolls are implemented.  A much more feasible option is a parking tax.  While the political hurdles of a parking tax are significant, it is a simpler and fairer way to fund transit investment. It is simpler because it is easier to implement.  It is fairer because it finally assigns a more appropriate cost to parking.

It could be similar to a sales tax, which is used in many cities.  Vancouver, for instance, charges 21% tax on parking.   Pittsburgh’s rate, the highest parking tax in North America, is over 37%.  Another option is charging a flat tax, like Chicago.

Since we are trying to fund regional transportation goals we need a parking tax that works across the GTA.  Because parking generally has a cost in Toronto and usually doesn’t in the surrounding areas, the tax tool cannot be dependant upon a fee being charged, or it will become a significant disadvantage for Toronto-based businesses.  Rather, experts tell us that the tax would need to be calculated on the area of the parking space or per parking stall.  If the taxed space currently generates a fee, then the new tax would be passed from the owner to the user through increased parking charges.  If the space is currently provided free of charge, the owner would have to decide whether to start charging a fee or recover the cost in some other way.

The amount of revenue that could be raised is significant.  The Toronto Parking Authority estimates there are about 900,000 charged and uncharged parking spots.  At $100 per space, per year, (considered to be a ‘mid’-range parking space tax), the revenue would be $90 million from Toronto alone, before exemptions and market adjustments.

If implemented across the GTA, the parking tax revenue could be used to fund improvements for the benefit of all those who pay the tax.  The current mayoral candidates may lament the fact that Provincial funding has been reduced, but unless they are prepared to offer an alternative, lines like Eglinton Crosstown will remain little more than a dream.

March 24, 2010
Five Things to Know About the Re-Development of Yonge-Eglinton Centre

Last week, a group of residents gathered at the corner of Yonge & Eglinton, protesting the decision to approve the re-development of Rio-Can’s head office. I applaud individuals who are passionate about matters affecting our community and City.  I respect any group’s right to express their opinion.  That said, a few facts to consider:

1. The northwest corner of Yonge & Eglinton is privately owned land. It is not owned by the City and therefore can not be transformed into a public space like Mel Lastman Square or Dundas Square, unless the owner wishes to do so. Moreover, there are no legal agreements on title that require this corner to remain as open, public space.

2. The four corners of Yonge & Eglinton have a special status in the Province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and our City’s Official Plan. The area is recognized as being a primary destination for people to live, work and enjoy. As development occurs, it must adhere to strict rules, including the City’s Urban Design Guidelines. This project has been reviewed by City staff in light of these policies and guidelines and staff have recommended City Council to approve the application.

3. The application considered by City Council later this month reflects two years of community input. Through this community consultation process, the rooftop garden terrace was added and design changes made to retain open space at the street level, make the building more attractive, improve public entranceways and provide public seating. The community’s input also resulted in a number of conditions being placed on the application, including:

• a $250,000 contribution toward public art;

• a small museum celebrating North Toronto’s history;

• a community steering committee to assist in outdoor activities;

• a study examining the feasibility of wider sidewalks on Yonge Street as well as a pedestrian scramble intersection; and,

• legal agreements guaranteeing public access to the street level and rooftop garden open space and protecting it from future development.

4. If approved, the public space will be tremendously better than what exists today. There will be gardens and trees where none existed. There will be places to sit. The area will be less windy. There will be appropriate space for outdoor events and activities.

5. As our city emerges from one of the worst recessionary periods, it is highly beneficial for our neighbourhood’s economy to receive a multi-million dollar investment. When completed, the project will mean more jobs, increased pedestrian activity and provide a much welcomed boost for our local merchants.

Over the past two years, there has been a tremendous effort to promote discussion, exchange of ideas and resolution of differing opinions. In a case where the property owner is working well within their rights and likely to be supported by the OMB, I staunchly believe this consultative process yields the best results for community.

People are free to protest, but this application represents a fair balance for the community who wish to revitalize this corner and the property owners who wish to realize a benefit from their investment.

March 16, 2010
Yonge-Eglinton Centre Re-Development Update

On March 9, 2010, after a long discussion and many public deputations, North York Community Council voted almost unanimously in favour of an application to re-develop the Yonge-Eglinton Centre, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue.  The project includes adding five and seven storeys above the existing office towers, renovations to the mall interior, enclosing a portion of the open space for additional major retail space, as well as constructing a roof-top garden for the public to enjoy.

If this decision is approved by City Council later this month, the project will also include a $250,000 contribution towards public art, a small museum celebrating North Toronto’s history and the formation of a Community Steering Committee to assist with the programming of events and activities that will take place in the square.   Lastly, it is also proposed that the City study the feasibility of expanding the width of the Yonge Street sidewalk and installing a pedestrian scramble at the Yonge-Eglinton intersection when the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is operational.

From the start, this re-development proposal has been contentious and Community Council’s decision was not made lightly.  The decision was informed by almost two year’s worth of community consultations and many months of detailed review work by City Planners.  While the community and the developer were not able to reach consensus on the final project parameters, particularly with respect to the proposed alterations to the existing open space, I feel that the outcome represents a balance between the wishes of the community to revitalize the square and the rights of the property owner to appropriately develop their land within the approved planning framework.

Other members of the community share similar thoughts.  Former Mayor David Crombie attended the Community Council meeting and reflected that the current square is inhospitable and not something that we should be proud of.  While he acknowledged that the current open space will be smaller as a result of the redevelopment, he reminded us that “in urban life, the important thing about space is how usable it is, not how big it is.”

As a North Toronto resident and someone who frequents the Yonge & Eglinton area on almost a weekly basis, I appreciate the concerns raised by the community and the significant effort made to address those concerns.   I am confident that this application will be the catalyst to revitalize the entire intersection, both indoors and out, and greatly improve its enjoyment and use for the wider community.

If you would like more detailed information on this application, including the community consultation process and City’s final planning report, please visit my website at http://karenstintz.com/community-matters/development/

March 6, 2010
Privatization – What it Really Means

This week has seen many announcements about the increased role of the private sector in City operations. From City ski hills to bus routes, the spectre of privatization looms large. I think it is very good news that we are able to begin a discussion on the merits of working creatively to deliver services to residents.

The past seven years have been largely defined by an administration whose core principles were that the City was the best agent to deliver services to the public. The result has been an increasingly burgeoning bureaucracy that is viewed as inflexible by the public. This is in contrast to the emerging view that the City has a responsibility to ensure services are available to the public, but does not necessarily have to provide those services directly. I share the latter view. I believe that governments do certain things very well and should continue to do them. In areas where service delivery can be improved governments should partner with organizations that can provide these services more efficiently and effectively.

Municipal governments throughout North America and Europe have also come to this conclusion. Some municipalities have service agreements with the private and not-for-profit sector for most, if not all, core functions, including planning, legal, social services, housing and recreational activities. Governments ensure equitable access either by providing grants to the provider directly or the users. Through establishing service agreements, the government can negotiate quality service indicators that ensure the public is receiving value for the money that they are paying.

This model is not new to the City of Toronto. Now is the time to expand it. Recently the City debated the arena Board of Management model for 8 local ice rinks. It was determined that the relationship worked and that the arena boards provided not only good financial stewardship but were largely responsive to community needs. I believe it is time to extend this model to some of the other 40 rinks managed by the City to see if we can’t improve their operation. It also makes imminent sense to ask a private operator to help manage City ski hills and golf courses. It is also appropriate to partner with not-for-profit groups to help manage City operated day-camps and other social services.

Recently, the City decided to build and operate an organics processing facility – again, this should be done by a private operator. The opportunities for efficiencies are endless with the necessary political will.

It is an exciting time for the City of Toronto and I am pleased to see that these critical issues are being discussed in this very important municipal election.

February 26, 2010
What’s Really Essential?

This week, David Caplan, Member of Provincial Parliament, introduced a Private Members Bill to declare Toronto transit an essential service.  This is not a new idea.  When a government service is deemed essential, it means that the workers cannot go on strike.  It also means the Government cannot lock out workers. If contracts cannot be agreed upon, a provincial arbitrator will determine the employment provisions on behalf of the employer and the union.

While it sounds fairly straightforward, there are very good reasons to proceed with a great deal of caution.  At the municipal level there are only two professions that are deemed essential services: the police and the firefighters.  Over the last several years, the City has been successful in negotiating contracts with the firefighters but the last two contracts with the police have been arbitrated.  The result is that the police services budget will top $1 billion in the next few years.

Determining whether or not a service should be designated as essential should not be based on cost alone.  Removing the right to strike from a union is very significant. The right to strike is a critical strategic element available to unions during negotiation.  Employers must weigh the costs of disruption against the costs of a settlement.  However, this practice is also increasingly viewed as outdated in the modern global economy where many jobs don’t lend themselves to the traditional unionized structure.

I would argue that the Provincial Government should not consider potential increased costs solely as the basis to determine whether or not Toronto transit should be deemed essential.   The primary consideration of the Government should be how we modernize our labour relations with the Amalgamated Transit Union because currently we have a toxic environment that is not serving the residents or riders in Toronto.  The last labour disruption highlights the dysfunction of the current relationship:  a contract was negotiated, approved by management and the union executive, yet rejected by the union members.  After a two-day walkout, the Province ordered workers back to work through an emergency session of Parliament.  In so doing, the government sent the message that the right to strike is limited to two days.  The result is that the union now has the upper hand in negotiations because it knows any service disruption will be more costly for the public than their members.

In defining a new relationship with the union, both the Province and the City have to send a dramatic signal that the current relationship needs to change.  The previous Provincial Government sent such a message to the union of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario through the threat of privatization.  Recognizing that the stakes were high, the union led the strong customer service culture that now exists throughout the organization.  If we hope to achieve this type of transformation at the TTC, it will need to be done with the union.  That goal will never be realized in the current environment.  The essential service designation may not be the answer, but improving our labour relations with the Amalgamated Transit union is a must.

February 23, 2010
An Option For Transit Funding

With City Council considering a $1.4 billion dollar budget for the TTC, our public transit system continues to be a hot topic in the City.  If we can barely afford the system we have today, how will we afford the system we aspire to build?  In today’s on-line edition of The Mark, I contemplate the roll of a parking tax to realize our transit goals.  You can read my article here.

My interview with the Mark News can be listened to here.

February 19, 2010
The $9.2 Billion Budget Mystery

This week the City released its Operating Budget for 2010.  Since I have been elected, the budget has grown from $6.7 to $9.2 billion and a host of new “revenue streams” have been identified.  Mayoral candidates have claimed that the City doesn’t have a long-term plan. It would be more accurate to state that the City does not have a long-term plan that is realistic.

The current administration chose a very deliberate strategy to finance City expenditures.  Over the last six years, the political strategy has been to get money from other levels of government to finance the city’s operational and infrastructure needs.  This strategy unfolded in various ways, beginning with a request for a portion of federal and provincial gas tax revenues and pressing the province to increase its financial commitment for social services and public health.  These strategies were successful and realized significant monetary gains for the City.  Tactically, the City achieved its strategy by having large budgetary holes that needed to be filled annually.

Having achieved initial success, the administration decided to set its sights on the Federal Government and launched the One Cent Now Campaign.  In addition, the City began the campaign for ongoing operational funding for transit from its federal and provincial partners in addition to the significant capital contribution.

Using the same tactics to achieve its strategy, the City’s budgetary holes continued to grow from $60 million when I was first elected, to a whopping $800 million this year.  While the strategy was initially successful, the constant demands for funding from other levels began to wear thin.  New taxes were introduced and the general consensus was that the problem was solved.  Not only was the problem not solved, the people who live and work in the city have not seen a material improvement for the substantial increases to the Capital and Operating Budgets.

The current administration’s strategy is evolving into a request for a portion of the sales tax.  I believe the new mayor will be successful with a more sustainable and realistic strategy.  Personally, I believe the City will realize its full potential when it can be financially stable and sets a goal to do what is necessary to achieve financial independence.  This strategy will include public-private partnerships, public and not-for-profit partnerships, asset reviews, new ways of collecting revenue and a realignment of how services are provided.

When required, city staff found over $400 million in cost reductions and the service impact was minimal.  I believe that if we set a direction to be financially stable that is not reliant on other levels of government we will unleash the creative talent of the civil service, politicians and those who live and work in the City.  Together, we can rebuild our City so that we can reclaim Toronto’s place as a modern, liveable city that works.

February 11, 2010
Balancing Private-Sector Partnerships With The Public Interest

This morning I had the pleasure of listening to Dana Levenson, former CFO for the City of Chicago, discuss how municipal assets can be monetized in order to build infrastructure.  His presentation is very timely given next week’s introduction of the City’s Operating Budget.  There are many aspects to consider when monetizing an asset, not least of which is to protect the public interest.  While there is no good time to monetize assets, it is clear that revenues from a sale should not be used to cover budget shortfalls.  I had the opportunity to write a blog for the Toronto Board of Trade on this issue.  It can be read at  http://bit.ly/dvigMf

February 10, 2010
Transit Ideas from New York

The TTC announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Panel to provide recommendations for improving customer service for the nation’s largest transit system.  Bob Kinear, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, has recently responded that Town Hall-style meetings across the city are an option to lower the temperature between disgruntled riders, employees who feel that they are under assault and management that seems unable to respond to the growing sense that the TTC is not under control.

While Blue Ribbon Panels and Town Halls are good ideas to help harness ideas, implementing sustainable change will require a longer-term approach.  When New York State made major investments in transit system, it recognized the need to ensure the public had a place to voice concerns about the state of transit, including customer service.  In response, New York State implemented the Rider’s Council and New York City embraced the work of the Straphangers.  The Rider’s Council is composed of citizen volunteers that are appointed by the State and the Straphangers are a grassroots organization that contributes to the Rider’s Council through surveys and regular monitoring of the system.

Currently a handful of city councillors govern the Toronto Transit Commission.  In this role, they are supposed to represent the voice of the public to the transit system.  Given the TTC’s ambitious expansion plans and the current situation surrounding the union, management and the public there is no doubt that a new model for TTC governance is required.  This may mean replacing the current political membership with other expertise.  However, the weekly barrage of TTC missteps that are broadcast virally will continue unless there is an organized voice for the public.  The model used in New York may not be the solution for Toronto, but our system would certainly benefit from the creation of a body that transit riders believe represents their interests.

February 9, 2010
The Election Issue that Should Not Be

Last week Adam Giambrone kicked off his mayoral campaign with a lively launch at Revival Restaurant Bar. It was a great event by any measure.  His speech was essentially a plan to stay the course.  Not surprisingly, one of his platform pieces is to improve voter turnout through extending the right to vote municipally to permanent residents who have not obtained Canadian citizenship.  While I support all measures to increase voter turn-out and citizen engagement, I worry that this proposal may lead to a divisive debate and will become an unnecessary wedge issue since the municipality cannot make decisions on such matters autonomously.

More importantly, I believe that we should promote the value of citizenship through ensuring that voting rights are assigned to Canadian citizens.  One of the wonderful aspects of Canada is that our country embraces newcomers and new cultures.  We encourage newcomers to become citizens and celebrate their journey, offering one of the most inclusive nationalization processes in the world.  Contrast this to the Netherlands, which is used as an example of a country that extends voting rights to non-citizens.  The process to qualify for Dutch citizenship is lengthy, requires full integration into Dutch language and culture and fines can be applied for failure to complete the process within a defined timeframe.  Residents must also renounce any other citizenship. Voting rights for non-citizens have been extended to residents in the Netherlands because of the difficulties in obtaining citizenship.

There is no question that we should improve voter turnout.  There is no question we should improve diversity on City Council.  It is questionable that a debate on the merits of extending voting rights to non-citizens will help with either of those two goals.  We should instead be encouraging newcomers to engage in the process of becoming citizens and helping new Canadians succeed once here.  Attention needs to be focussed on helping newcomers succeed because we all know that new Canadians are not achieving the same level of success as their forebearers.  The success of the city depends on the success of those who choose to live and work here – that is worthy discussion for the campaign.

February 1, 2010
Career Politician

There have been interesting discussions recently about the need for term limits to prevent career politicians from fossilizing in their legislative posts.  In a similar line of thinking, several candidates for political office seem to be bending over backwards to proclaim how their best qualification to be a politician is the fact that they have never been one.  Convincing voters to elect someone just because they have never been something is an odd strategy, but it seems to resonate.  It works in part because the overall brand of politicians has been diminished to the point that the word politician is synonymous with untrustworthy.

This reality is unfortunate because I think that when politicians are at their best they have the ability to inspire, motivate and engage people to rise to their own personal best for the benefit of the community.  Admittedly I am in the minority, but I would enjoy hearing a candidate for office give a speech about the need for good politicians, not just anti-politicians.  This week I heard a speech from a great politician – Frank McKenna.  The former Premier of New Brunswick gave a speech at the Toronto Board of Trade’s 122^nd Annual Dinner.  He was passionate and sincere when he talked about the many virtues of our great City.  The room was captivated as he outlined our challenges for the future, and everyone was inspired that the talent exists within Toronto to rise above our current state and become a global city leader.  People left feeling positive, proud and motivated.  That is what a good politician is able to achieve.

As the election heats up candidates will try to distinguish themselves on various fronts.  It is my prediction that the winning candidate will be the one that models what it truly means to be a politician.

January 22, 2010
Bringing the TTC into the 21st Century

The past week has been busy at City Hall. A report about the St. Clair right-of-way was released which concluded that Toronto’s Transit Commission does not follow industry best practices for major construction projects. I applaud the Commission for requesting the review, but given that the recommendations were submitted with no further action deemed necessary, I remain concerned that the TTC will not recognize the major opportunity it has just been given.

Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi suggested yesterday that all of the politicians currently on the Toronto Transit Commission be replaced with citizen appointments. History has shown that these end up being patronage appointments, but that shouldn’t necessarily be a reason not to look at the idea moving forward. However, more importantly, the TTC should be looking at establishing a capital commission with oversight for major capital projects. This commission would be separate from the operational oversight and better integrated with the city’s departments.

The creation of a capital commission is not a revolutionary idea. Hospitals, airports, and universities often create capital commissions to oversee large capital projects. The Province of Ontario also used this idea when Infrastructure Ontario was established. The benefit of a capital commission is that oversight will focus entirely on project management, risk management and financial management. If the budget and timeline for a 6.8 kilometre doubled under the current model the ambitious Transit City plans for 120 kilometres of light-rail will never be realized unless there is a significant overhaul in how these projects are managed.

The TTC has assured us that the lessons from the St. Clair right-of-way construction have been learned. If so, I wonder why those lessons have not yet been applied to the construction of the Spadina-York Subway? This transit expansion is fully funded by three levels of government and has yet to break ground. If Councillor Adam Giambrone, Chair of the TTC, is really contemplating a run for Mayor, he will need to have some answers.

January 18, 2010
Thoughts From the Right

Last week I read a column by Marcus Gee in the Globe and Mail in which he described right-wing candidates as focused on tax and service cuts. My immediate reaction was that this description was too superficial. I then accepted the fact that perhaps the “right-wing” on Council has not offered anything else by way of first principles so he was left to resort to established paradigms.

While I don’t profess to speak for the “right-wing”, I will offer another dimension to the slash and burn image of fiscal conservatives. As a fiscal conservative, one of my first principles is that government services should offer value to those who require them. Not all needs can be met so choices must be made. Where possible, user fees should be used to cover the costs of services provided, especially at the municipal level. User fees are practical because individuals who use the service pay for it. While the City can no longer afford to subsidize everyone we must not forget those who would otherwise not be able to access the service(s).

Another principle is that governments should always look for those who are best able to deliver a service – be it a social good or capital project. Under this principle, there is no assumption that the private or public sector is better – it is a rational look at the best delivery agent, both for efficiencies and costs. Costs matter because if you spend more than you need to in one area there is less available for other areas.

This fiscal conservative doesn’t believe that taxes are bad or a necessary evil. However, I do believe that when a government asks people to pay taxes, those who pay, should receive value in return. The mayoral candidate that will be successful in the upcoming election will be the one that can connect with those who feel that, despite the increased investment they have made in Toronto, the City has not become an easier place to live, work or raise a family. The successful candidate will be the one that can articulate what a global, yet livable city would be for the residents of Toronto. The next mayor may not be a “right-winger”, but could be. If so, he or she will need to be creative and offer more than just tax and service cuts.

January 9, 2010
Looking for Ideas Big and Small

2010 will be an interesting year in municipal politics. The slate of Mayoral candidates should be full and each will have a vision and platform for Toronto.

While I look forward to the big ideas about the waterfront, transportation and the City’s budget, I hope the candidates also pay attention to the little things that will improve the experience of living and working in our city. Everyone looks forward to the day when the waterfront will be a source of envy for the world, but I, for one, will also rejoice when I can use an integrated fare card for the TTC. An integrated fare card will make lining up for tokens obsolete and improve the ability to move between different modes of transit. It will also bring us into the modern world of fare-collection.

The delayed implementation of the fare-card has been blamed on a range of excuses from lack of funds to lack of need. The reality is that there is a lack of will by the TTC to use this type of fare-collection system. The TTC mentality is that if a system works fine for the employees of the TTC than it must be fine for everyone. The mentality of the public, however, is quite different. The latest fiasco with the fare increases demonstrated that lining up for tokens, monthly metropasses and easily counterfeited tickets is no longer acceptable. The public will require more in terms of customer service if they are going to pay more to access the system.

I applaud Deputy Mayor Pantalone for at least acknowledging that the TTC is behind the curve on implementing an integrated fare-card for the public. It also appears that Joe is seriously considering throwing his hat in the Mayoral ring. I hope he is serious about promoting the fare-card and I hope the other candidates pay attention. Big ideas matter. They are the foundation on which great cities are built, but it is the little things that make great cities work for those who live and work in them.

December 15, 2009
Rocco Rossi Enters the 2010 Mayoral Race

This week, Rocco Rossi announced his intention to run for Mayor in 2010, in four languages, no less. At a City Hall press conference, Mr. Rossi said he is big, bald and has bold ideas. Trouble is, we already have a big, bald guy professing bold ideas. Let’s hope Mr. LeDrew doesn’t toss his hat in the race, too.

But back to Mr. Rossi. This bald guy promised a new direction for City Hall, including selling Toronto Hydro and rolling back the salary of the Mayor and Councillors. Sounds good, but I hope Rocco understands the strength and complexity of the unions in the city – his commitment to labour peace will not be realized if his strategy is simply to freeze his salary. He promised more details to come including a list of no more than five priorities. Who said if you have too many priorities, you have no priorities? That’s right. It was the other bald guy.

To confuse matters further, while big and bald like George, Rocco is going to sound a lot like John. He ran John’s campaign in 2003, they share the same background and hold similar political views. I think with the entry of Rocco into the Mayoral race, the pressure will increase on John to declare his intentions and begin to differentiate himself.

Despite the George-Rocco, Rocco-John identity crisis, the good news is that Rocco is well known in political circles and has built a formidable reputation as someone who can get things done. He also has been involved with city issues since 2003 and he has spent the better part of the last year brushing up his knowledge.

For the time being however, based on the recent flurry of luncheon speeches, press conferences and sound bites, Rocco, George, and John will be offering a very similar message. Get the city’s financial house in order and focus on jobs and the economy. As the centre-right is starting to feel as crowded as the subway during rush-hour, I just hope the left is not the beneficiary.

December 11, 2009
George Smitherman Speaks to the Toronto Board of Trade

The 2010 mayoralty is heating up, even before candidates can officially declare. I will be following the candidates with interest because this election will be an important one for Toronto. Though I do not intend to endorse any particular candidate, I will be promoting issues that get Toronto working again.

Today George Smitherman gave a speech at the Toronto Board of Trade to an audience of approximately 500 business people. If the success of a political speech can be measured in terms of knowing your audience and beating your competition to the punch, George scored on both counts – assuming of course that John Tory is the competition.

The speech was business-friendly, which was fitting, given the audience and venue. It sounded like a speech that John Tory would have given. The themes included job creation, reducing commercial taxes and restraint in public spending.

The 20-minute talk did not include any policy specifics, but that is to be expected since the campaign will not officially begin until January 4, 2010. George did offer a change in tone from the current administration in that he would work with other municipalities on the economic development agenda and views transportation as a regional responsibility. He spoke about the need to bring jobs back to Toronto in order to make sure residents don’t have to drive to the 905 in order to make a decent living. We will have to wait until the weeks and months ahead to see how he intends to make this happen.

He spoke about his experience, which is considerable – and his commitment to Toronto, which is without question. As one of the first declared candidates out of the gate he used his advantage to the fullest. He left me wanting to hear more – let’s see if he delivers in the New Year.