Facing the likely death of his downtown casino dream, Mayor Rob Ford has yanked the item from next week’s council meeting in hopes he can muster more support later in May.
Councillor Michael Thompson said Tuesday the mayor’s office has told him and other Ford allies that the mayor is exercising a rarely used power to move the item from the May 7-8 council agenda.
“There’s no doubt there will be a special meeting about the casino,” said Thompson, who says he will consider voting in favour of a casino only if Toronto receives a fee of $100 million or more per year for hosting it.
“Discussions are taking place about dates. It will be some time in May.”
Opponents of a massive casino resort near the downtown waterfront reacted with disdain.
“The whole city is expecting this item and this issue to be debated at a city council next week,” said Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 30 Toronto Danforth), noting Ford is also trying to keep debate about taxes to fund transit expansion off the May 7-8 agenda.
“The whole city is waiting for this casino debate. We’ve been debating this for five months. I think it’s the biggest issue that Toronto city council will have dealt with.”
Councillor Adam Vaughan said Ford is “delaying the inevitable.”
“The people of Toronto have made their minds up, most councillors have made their minds up and it’s really only stage-managing at point,” he said. Ford is “going to lose another big one at council and if it’s delayed a week, it’s delayed a week.”
Ford could call the meeting for the end of May when several council casino opponents will be in Vancouver for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual meeting. Vaughan, who plans to go, said they would fly home for the important debate.
Thompson favours delaying the controversial debate.
“The agendas are so packed, to really do it justice, to be frank with you that needs to be at a special meeting,” the Ward 37 Scarborough Centre councillor said, adding it increases chances councillors will know the hosting fee Toronto could expect from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
OLG said Tuesday its review of the hosting fee formula — ordered by Premier Kathleen Wynne in April amid cries that the $50 million to $100 million promised to Toronto was a sweetheart deal — is complete.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s office is studying the formula. A provincial official said there will be no public comment until next week at the earliest.
Star surveys of city councillors suggest insufficient support for a downtown casino. There is much more support for slot machines at Woodbine racetrack to be expanded into a full casino with table games.
OLG says that if Toronto slams the door on the opportunity, it will go to Mississauga, Markham or Vaughan.
Ford’s executive committee recently voted 9-4 to tell OLG it is interested in a downtown casino — but only if OLG meets about 50 conditions including a hosting fee of at least $100 million.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: David Rider
Councillor Michael Thompson said Tuesday the mayor’s office has told him and other Ford allies that the mayor is exercising a rarely used power to move the item from the May 7-8 council agenda.
“There’s no doubt there will be a special meeting about the casino,” said Thompson, who says he will consider voting in favour of a casino only if Toronto receives a fee of $100 million or more per year for hosting it.
“Discussions are taking place about dates. It will be some time in May.”
Opponents of a massive casino resort near the downtown waterfront reacted with disdain.
“The whole city is expecting this item and this issue to be debated at a city council next week,” said Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 30 Toronto Danforth), noting Ford is also trying to keep debate about taxes to fund transit expansion off the May 7-8 agenda.
“The whole city is waiting for this casino debate. We’ve been debating this for five months. I think it’s the biggest issue that Toronto city council will have dealt with.”
Councillor Adam Vaughan said Ford is “delaying the inevitable.”
“The people of Toronto have made their minds up, most councillors have made their minds up and it’s really only stage-managing at point,” he said. Ford is “going to lose another big one at council and if it’s delayed a week, it’s delayed a week.”
Ford could call the meeting for the end of May when several council casino opponents will be in Vancouver for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual meeting. Vaughan, who plans to go, said they would fly home for the important debate.
Thompson favours delaying the controversial debate.
“The agendas are so packed, to really do it justice, to be frank with you that needs to be at a special meeting,” the Ward 37 Scarborough Centre councillor said, adding it increases chances councillors will know the hosting fee Toronto could expect from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
OLG said Tuesday its review of the hosting fee formula — ordered by Premier Kathleen Wynne in April amid cries that the $50 million to $100 million promised to Toronto was a sweetheart deal — is complete.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s office is studying the formula. A provincial official said there will be no public comment until next week at the earliest.
Star surveys of city councillors suggest insufficient support for a downtown casino. There is much more support for slot machines at Woodbine racetrack to be expanded into a full casino with table games.
OLG says that if Toronto slams the door on the opportunity, it will go to Mississauga, Markham or Vaughan.
Ford’s executive committee recently voted 9-4 to tell OLG it is interested in a downtown casino — but only if OLG meets about 50 conditions including a hosting fee of at least $100 million.
Original Article
Source: thestar.com
Author: David Rider
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