City’s problem isn’t a lack of revenue

Re Crumbling under budget woes, Aug. 20 I would submit that Toronto doesn’t have so much a “pressing revenue problem” as a pressing fiscal decision-making and public-accountability problem.

Indeed, it is almost impossible for the public to be convinced of the extent of a revenue problem, despite city council’s dipping into reserves, when: council supports one subway stop into Scarborough, despite seasoned civil-service advice on more effective means to serve Torontonians; and a $1-billion budget is readily approved for Toronto police.

Mayor John Tory’s “SmartTrack” appears to have been a chimera, so it is difficult to take seriously suggestions like a 21-acre park over the rail corridor between Bathurst and Blue Jays Way.

This is not an argument against Torontonians and, indeed, levels of government making further transit commitments to Canada’s urban hub. But council must be seen to be making decisions that do their utmost to marry budget sense and sound infrastructure and human-resource planning with a vision for the city on all counts.

Council thus far seems to have missed the train. Perhaps enough Torontonians don’t see why they should get on board, either, with an added municipal tax or any other strategy council proposes.

Lisa Boyes, Toronto

You have to hand it to Toronto council. As soon as they run into budget shortfalls the rest of Canada is expected to bail them out. They seem to forget that many residential taxpayers in the GTA know that Toronto residential tax rates are low. Why should taxpayers in B.C. or Newfoundland bail out Toronto? As an Ontarian we are expected to pay twice, once through the federal government and again through the provincial government. That is plainly not fair.

I say to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Kathleen Wynne: “Tell Toronto to go to hell; and use the additional tax sources that Toronto requested and was granted by the province to get additional funds.”

Small wonder that Toronto is far down the popularity list amongst Canadians.

David Green, Wasaga Beach, Ont.