Tory wants review of VIP parking freebies
Politicians, city officials among 163 getting complimentary spots
Mayor John Tory wants Toronto Parking Authority to review unlimited free parking at Green P lots and on-street spots given to more than 160 retirees, politicians, city officials and current and past board members.
The longtime perk costs the city more than $300,000 per year in lost revenues, the TPA says in a routine approval report released last week and going to a board meeting Thursday.
Tory, who is usually chauffeured to official events and does not get one of the 163 parking passes, dubbed justifications for some recipients “flimsy.”
“I’ll be asking (TPA board members) to reconsider that list and just see if they really think it’s necessary for all of these people to have free parking because I think it aggravates the citizens who we represent, when they see these people on what look like fairly flimsy reasons (getting) free parking and everyone else doesn’t,” Tory said Monday in response to a reporter’s question.
Tory included the names of city councillors he doesn’t think need free parking. Two of them — Gord Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale—High Park) and Michael Ford (Ward 1, Etobicoke North) — are not on
the list of recipients first reported by the Toronto Sun.
“I asked to not get a pass because I don’t drive a car,” Perks said.
Ford said: “I don’t take passes because they are taxpayerfunded.”
On the list are: 46 supervisory and operations staff; 91past and present board members and retirees with 20-plus years’ service; and 26 city councillors and city officials. Most get annual passes while the long-serving retirees and all former board members can get lifetime passes.
Costs to the city are pegged at $270,000 for TPA staff, board members and service providers; $20,000 for city councillors and officials including the medical officer of health; and $27,000 for retirees and past board members.
The forced shrinking of council from 44 to 25 members should reduce the amount spent on councillors this term.
Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 21, Scarborough Centre) said he uses his pass “periodically, not so much for personal use, usually city business.”
Thompson noted the times he uses the pass for official business would be expense d through his office anyway.
He said he wouldn’t miss the freebie if councillors lose it, adding the number of passes issued to retirees and past board members suggest a review is in order.