Rating: NNNNN
Fiscal maestro David Shiner is pushing a budget that’s bound to unravel our services. But there are options — a 6.6 per cent tax increase, for example. Call your councillor and let him or her know where you stand before final decisions are made next week.
ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
$13 million from TTC budget (plus an additional $1.97 million from Wheel-Trans)
$2.16 million from public health
$2.1 million from playground upgrades
$1.81 million from children’s services
$1.6 million from swimming pools
$1.1 million from hostel services
$1 million from youth anti-violence programs
$900,000 from library services
$722,000 from eco projects
$637,000 from grants programs not adjusted for inflation
$500,000 from pedestrian pilot project
$300,000 from traffic calming plan
$250,000 from bike plan
$100,000 from audible traffic signals for the visually impaired
WHAT WAS RAIDED
$7.5 million from social housing reserve fund
$5 million from welfare reserve fund
WHAT WAS INCREASED
Police budget, by $5.4 ($3 million for computer consulting and leasing) to a total of $588.8 million
WHAT THE CUTS WILL MEAN
$100-plus Metropass and/or 15 per cent increase in TTC fares
135,000 fewer Wheel-Trans rides for seniors and the disabled
Cuts to parenting and prenatal programs, TB prevention programs, seniors’ dental care and health clinics
Parents pay extra $325 a year for after-school childcare programs
Higher garbage pickup fee for businesses
Closure of half the city’s 80-plus indoor pools
Loss of at least 27 shelter staff
No nutrition programs at 11 special-needs elementary schools
Sunday library closures and longer waits for library material
Elimination of environment days
Plans for bike lanes cut by half
$12 increase in parking permit fee to $114
THE SOLUTION
Raise taxes by an additional 2 per cent above the 4.6 per cent that’s being proposed
WHAT CRITICS SAY
The city has underestimated supplementary tax revenue by $15 million, money that could be used to cover all that’s being cut from the budget.
WHAT’S UNACCOUNTED FOR
Inside and outside workers, police and firefighters all have contract negotiations coming up.
