An apropos juxtaposition on megacity

Amalgamation a boon for Toronto, Letter July 21 Although clearly a coincidence, the juxtaposition of the letter by former city manager Joe Pennachetti touting the megacity’s huge success, and the Star’s editorial (“Even worse than we knew”) urging city council to deep-six the Scarborough subway extension, was apropos.

Amalgamation may have resulted in a great boon for Toronto, as Pennachetti says, but politicians must act prudently so as not to place the situation that now exists into jeopardy. Sooner or later boons, even great ones, can go bust.

It does not bode well for the future success of the megacity when elected officials ignore sound transit infrastructure planning advice that recommends an affordable LRT option, and instead choose to blow unnecessary billions on a mind-boggling boondoggle like an overbuilt Scarborough subway extension could so easily become.

Keep making bad, politically motivated choices like this and Toronto’s “strong AA plus credit rating” that Pennachetti speaks of will soon be only a distant memory.

Of course, a credit downgrade, when it comes, would only place more of a burden on Toronto taxpayers, and maybe even eventually limit future spending on much-needed infrastructure that is actually required. Robert McBride, Thornhill

Re