Nov 26, 2013
By Jane Brown
While Mayor Ford insists the 2014 budget has changed since he was stripped of his powers last week, Toronto’s City manager says that is not the case. Joe Pennachetti says city staff made no changes following the change in power structure on city council. Ford left the budget committee meeting yesterday afternoon, after saying he had been assured that the subway costs in Scarborough could be met within a 1.75 percent tax increase. “I do not agree with the proposed residential tax increase of over 2 percent. This is higher than the 1.75 increase which we agreed late in January and have discussed for the last eleven months,” said Ford to the budget committee.
The Executive committee chair has been taken over by Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who says this was news to him. “1.75 came from out here,” Kelly gestured, “so I’m not sure where that came from and I’d love to know.”
Of the proposed 2.5 percent tax hike, 1.4 percent goes to inflation, 0.6 percent to enhanced services, and 0.5 percent to the subway extension. The budget goes to public hearings next month, will be reviewed by council’s executive committee January 22nd and then to city council for final approval January 29th and 30th.
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