Mayor Rob Ford ... cleaning up the city of Toronto ...

the conservative way. Every new day tells us, the citizens of this great city, that we have succeeded in appointing a great mayor. Our mayor says what he means and does what he says. A dozen Tim Hudaks would never be able to come even within a mile of this man.

The best thing of all, at least IMO because I use the TTC, is that the TTC is now an essential service, which means if that blackmailing unionized so-and-so org. decides to hold the city hostage by going on yet another strike, the employees refusing to report to work can be fired.  Whoopppeee !!!

...My administration is focused on four key areas: Customer Service Excellence, Reducing the Size and Cost of Government, Building Transportation City and a Transparent and Accountable Government.

We abolished the $60 Car registration tax effective January 1st – putting $64 million back into taxpayers’ pockets. In February, we mailed the first rebate cheques back to taxpayers who had pre-paid for 2011.

Because I firmly believe in leading by example, I turned down a pay raise and saved taxpayers about $17,000. My transition team came under budget by nearly $25,000.

We also saved hundreds of thousands of your dollars by eliminating snacks at Council meetings, eliminating paper media clippings and Councillors cut their expense budgets, saving taxpayers about $900,000.

As I committed to do during the campaign, I cut $700,000 out of my own office budget. We also called on the province to make the TTC an essential service – and the province has introduced legislation to do this. We are moving forward on my commitment to the residents of Toronto to build subways beginning with the expansion of the Sheppard Line.

Working with my Council colleagues, we passed the 2011 budget which was balanced, with a zero per cent property tax increase and no major service cuts.

There is more work that needs to be done and I guarantee you our team is dedicated to ensuring your tax dollars are spent wisely...

And, an update to the above, intimated by email :

The TTC is now an essential service.
We reduced our office budgets and expense accounts.
We had a zero percent property tax increase



We took steps to bring back accountability at Toronto Community Housing. A new board is now in place to get to the bottom of that agency's troubles.

We doubled public consultation for the budget so residents all across our great city could have a say.

Millions of your dollars have been saved through some of these measures alone and I am proud of what we have accomplished in a short period of time - but there is still so much more to be done.

This week at City Council, Councillors voted unanimously on a new protocol negotiated between the City and Waterfront Toronto that is a win for everyone. You will see progress - new jobs and greater economic development much sooner than previously planned. This process will be done with full public consultation.
 
Coming up next week on September 26 and 27 are the Special Council meetings to discuss the Core Services Review.  If you want to show your support for the work that we are doing to fix Toronto's fiscal mess, please contact your local Councillor ....