Mayor Rob Ford says Torontonians’ top three priorities are security, “smooth clean roads” and having a clean city with garbage picked up and graffiti erased.
Ford made the comments Friday while appearing on CP24’s noon show with Stephen LeDrew.
Ford listed the priorities, based on what people tell him, after LeDrew asked about a host of cuts suggested by consultant KPMG. He didn’t respond to LeDrew’s specific question about whether Riverdale Farm should be closed.
Ford said people are telling him he’s “doing a great job.”
The mayor made it clear that grants to arts groups and others are one of his prime targets for “efficiencies.”
“I can’t sit here and justify handing out $50 million in grants when we’re looking for $750 million,” Ford said, adding “every special interest group out there” comes to the city with its hand out.
“Some of it might be legitimate,” but, with a huge deficit looming, the city has to look to the private sector to get involved and help shoulder the burden, he said.
Ford also took aim at the Atmospheric Fund, which funds initiatives to fight air pollution, climate change and other environmental hazards, and questioned if the city should own the Toronto Zoo, three performing arts theatres and the Toronto Parking Authority, which operates the Green P lots.
Asked if he’ll follow through on a suggestion to reduce the police force, Ford said councillors have to “look under every rock” but he considers that a last resort.
“My personal opinion, no I want to protect our police . . . that’s at the bottom of the list.”
Asked if he’s ready to get tough with city unions, who are fighting his agenda of deep cuts to the city budget and workforce, Ford told LeDrew: “I’m prepared to go toe to toe with anyone.”
The mayor repeated he’ll do everything possible to avoid a property tax increase in 2012, but said it depends on how much he can cut from the budget. Last week, he said he wouldn’t support a budget hike over 3 per cent.
“I’m only one vote at council and there’s 44 other councillors who are going to have to answer to their constituents,” he said, adding “I hope they’re listening . . .
“I encourage the taxpayers to start calling their councillors and say ‘Let’s cut the gravy, let’s cut the waste. I don’t want a tax increase,’” Ford said.
Ford encouraged all residents to go to City Hall on Thursday and tell him and the rest of executive committee what they think of the hundreds of millions of dollars in potential savings identified by city-hired consultants KPMG.
“I want to hear from the people and I encourage them to come,” Ford said, noting each deputant will get five minutes to speak their mind. He added that the meeting, which normally lasts one day or less, might go for three.
Hundreds of deputants have already spoken their minds to several standing committees reviewing the KPMG suggestions.
A large majority of the members of the public have criticized the consultant’s suggestions to close libraries, attractions such as Riverdale Farm, cut grants for student nutrition and AIDS prevention, scale back snow plowing and street sweeping, and more.
Talking about the uproar over proposed cuts, Ford reassured Torontonians, saying he’s a “man of integrity” and “it’ll all come out in the wash.”
Asked about his decision to skip the 10-day gay Pride event, Ford repeated that he only wanted a couple of days of “family time” at his cottage in Huntsville.
“I don’t apologize for not going to Pride,” Ford said.
The mayor also told LeDrew that he still returns every phone call, goes to residents’ homes if they have trouble — even picking up their trash if it wasn’t collected — and that he again plans to coach high school football.
Asked if he’s enjoying the job, despite the criticism he receives, Ford said: “I love being mayor.”
Origin
Source: Toronto Star
No comments:
Post a Comment