Mayor John Tory stands firm on low taxes in the face of massive budget shortfall, declining city services and public backlash over his handling of the city’s most contentious issue.
The debate over Toronto Mayor John Tory has been one for the ages. Tory’s opponents have dug in and have forced him to try to defend his record with every turn of the political compass. It’s a strategy he’s embraced, even if it has required some creative political strategy from himself.
The latest chapter in the tale of the Torys begins as he prepares to meet with the Toronto Board of Trade at city hall on Tuesday to discuss a new fiscal plan that would help the council avoid a deficit.
For the second day running, Tory has been under fire for providing a financial update to the province before it has even been released. He’s been pilloried for failing to give the public an update on what’s going on in terms of transit, housing, homelessness and other areas where his administration has had a hands-on approach.
The mayor’s press secretary, Amanda Renteria, reiterated that the mayor’s “focus right now is on Toronto’s fiscal challenges and how to address them.”
But if the latest news is any indication, Tory is in a tough position. According to a report by the Star, the city is in a “difficult fiscal position.”
The mayor’s office has said that the city has no intention of increasing its spending above the levels the government is proposing. According to city officials, the province is asking for $1.2 billion in additional money, and that’s out of the $5.0 billion already allocated under the Mayor’s Management Plan (MMP).
According to a report from city staff, the plan to address the deficit runs up against a number of financial realities. The city does not have a dedicated revenue stream through which to spend. The mayor’s office has been advised that the province is targeting a reduction in municipal taxes.
Citing a 2013 report by the University of Toronto’s MaRS Centre for Advanced Public Policy, the Star reports that Toronto’s tax burden has nearly