by Chris Selley The minor saga of Toronto Ombudsman Fiona Crean’s budget ended Thursday at City Council. A staff-recommended boost of $103,000, which would have paid for two new positions, had been nixed by the Budget Committee on Jan. 24 on grounds of austerity. But on Thursday, councillor Josh Matlow tabled a motion seeking to reinstate [...]
by Jonathan Jenkins Mayor Rob Ford has set aside $3 million to pay consultants for a review of all city spending. Chief Financial Officer Cam Weldon said the money has been set aside in the non-program account, a pool of money that also includes an undisclosed amount for settling contract negotiations. […]
by Sue-Ann Levy As much as $130 million of one-time money has either been dumped down the drain or committed to fund ex-mayor David Miller’s Climate Change Agenda in the last four years — money which could have been used to offset Toronto’s humongous debt, it was revealed at audit committee Monday. There is a [...]
by Megan O'Toole The city’s audit committee has asked for a report on the possibility of publishing the expenses of senior staff members online, similar to the system in place for councillors. Councillor and deputy mayor Doug Holyday, freshly elected as chair of the audit committee, brought forward the motion Tuesday. It asks the city [...]
by Tomasz Bugajski / February 14, 2011 In October 2010, Josh Matlow was elected to replace veteran councillor Michael Walker in Ward 22. Matlow, a 35 year-old former school board trustee, comes to city council to represent one of Toronto’s wealthiest and most populous wards. It is also one of the few wards where overall [...]
It should come as no surprise the issue of councillor compensation in this city keeps surfacing. That's because the issue has not been addressed in any meaningful way. Thus, we witness needless rhetoric, grandstanding and the trumpeting of curious points of comparison in an attempt to justify one number or another. Enough. Determining fair compensation [...]
Councillors have voted to freeze their salaries. On Tuesday, they rejected 39-3 a 2.6-per cent cost of living adjustment that would have hiked their salary to about $102,000. Right now they make about $99,000. Councillor Josh Matlow voted in favour of the freeze and says he agrees that there is merit in the symbolism of being restrained about their [...]
Budget Chief Councillor Mike Del Grande has tabled a motion for this week's council meeting asking those on council to reject their scheduled cost-of-living raise, which is said to be 2.46 per cent for 2011. And as Toronto council prepares for the vote, one councillor is preparing a motion of his own to make salary decisions fair. The answer to the [...]
Vague predictions by Mayor Rob Ford’s ex-chief of staff about subways have left more questions than answers. But Ford said he “can’t comment” on what Nick Kouvalis meant when he spoke last Friday. “The subway deal is .. close,” Kouvalis said, adding “Transit City is alive and well and it’s going to be buried underground.” [...]
Some disputed TTC’s ridership counts, but 41 routes face service reductions By Kris Scheuer The TTC voted late last night to cut off-peak service on 41 bus routes despite pleas from residents. In January the commission proposed reducing service on 48 routes, but delayed a vote in order to get feedback from riders. The revised [...]
