City Manager's report on new casino and convention development in Toronto

Toronto City Manager Joe Pennachetti recently released his report, New Casino and Convention Development in Toronto, available by clicking here.

The Executive Committee will consider the report at a special meeting commencing on Monday, April 15.

Budget Issues in Brief

Excerpted from the Fall 2011 Newsletter:

Budget Issues in Brief
I have outlined a few points below to help you understand the City's financial situation:

• Each year the City's costs rise by $200 million, just to cover inflation and payroll costs
• Each 1% increase in your property tax brings in $21 million in revenue for the City. To cover the above $200 million alone would require a 9.5% property tax increase.
• Even if Council did not spend a single cent this year, our debt - caused by the previous mayor's spending - would climb from $2.5 billion to $4.3 billion.
• By 2014, the annual cost to service this debt will rise from $430 million to $620 million.
• Half of our $9.3 billion Operating Budget is comprised of wage costs (totaling $4.7 billion). We currently have 53,000 people on the City's payroll.
• The City's Budget for 2012 has an opening shortfall of $774 million which is a significant amount. If we were to use tax increases alone to account for this, we would have to increase property taxes by 36.8%.
• Unfortunately, businesses are moving out of the City of Toronto into the 905 areas (Markham, Mississauga, etc.) as it is cheaper for them to operate outside of the 416 area. This also puts pressure on our budget.

Who qualifies for a PVT refund?

As you know, the City of Toronto has recently rescinded the $60 Personal Vehicle Tax. Depending on your circumstance, you may be entitled to a refund of a portion of what you have already paid. Below is an excerpted portion of a Q&A factsheet published by the City, which lays out the exact scenario in which one is entitled to a refund.

Toronto City Council Attendance and Voting Records

Ever wanted to know whom voted on what in Toronto City Council? In the spirit of transparency and accountability, the City of Toronto has recently begun to record all votes taken in council. Now, members of the public can view the results of all of these votes for specific members of council using the website below.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/news/2011-01-06-news-votes-attendance.htm

Have your say: 5¢ bag fee

The City of Toronto currently has a bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 604, Packaging bylaw) which states that all retailers are to charge a minimum of 5¢ on all plastic bags. This money is collected by the retailer, and is not received by the City. Mayor Rob Ford has discussed plans to repeal section of the bylaw in the future.

We'd like to ask you for your opinion on this issue. Click on this link to send us your thoughts on whether this fee should or should not be repealed. Please include your full name, address, and phone number as anonymous comments will not be considered. All information collected will always remain confidential.

Alternatively, you can give our office a call at 416-392-1374. Once again be sure to leave your full contact information.

Useful Links
City of Toronto: 5 cent bag bylaw page
Municipal Code Chapter 604, Packaging bylaw

A message from Councillor Mike Del Grande

The 2010 Toronto Municipal Election is now over, and I'd like to thank all of those who supported me throughout the campaign. I pledge to continue serving Ward 39 and its residents in the coming four years.

Fact Sheet on Parking in Driveways and the New Zoning Bylaw

The topic of the new zoning bylaw and how it affects driveway parking has been receiving a lot attention in the media as of late. In response, the City has put up a fact sheet clarifying some of the issues involved. The fact sheet can be downloaded here (.pdf format).

Community Council Approves 975 Units at Bridlewood Mall on August 17th

Dear Friends and Neighbours

I had originally sent out an e-mail to all my councillor colleagues last month to defer this item until the neighbourhood got a good deal. Not one councillor responded to my e-mail.

I was told point blank by a councillor that my position would not be supported. From this, it was evident that lobbying had occurred by the Developer.

Consulting with members of the Citizen's Advisory Group and Stand Up Bridletowne I embarked to get a visible benefit for our community.

Subject to both City Council and Library Board Approvals:

The Bridlewood Library which is the 3rd busiest Community Library in Toronto will expand. It will move next to Shoppers Drug Mart commencing October 1st. Funding of $2.4 million dollars will be dedicated to the Library with $300,000 coming from Councillor Kelly's ward.

It will temporarily occupy 8,000 square feet with a further 1,200 square feet to be occupied. The Library will sign a 20 year lease.

Further the Advisory Group will have one last opportunity for changes and comments on the Finch Warden Revitalization Report which will go to Council.

The 975 units will be in two phases. The first will be 475 however, the Developer indicated that he would start with a 200 unit building to see how well he can sell units. There is still discussion that the full development can take 2-15 years. In the short term, Any building would commence in 2012. One amendment was accepted by Community Council to provide 1 car spot instead of a .9 spot for all one bed room units. I do not want to see cars overflow onto side streets.

Along with you, I was shocked that any development would occur on a parking lot. Unfortunately the Official Plan allows for this and without any height restrictions. The original proposal asked for about 1400 units with included tall towers of up to 38 stories. The tallest under this plan will be 25.

We could not stop this development and in addition, with the support of the Planning Department we did not have the resources to hire Community Planners and fight this at OMB. With Councillors on side it was a done deal.

I am grateful to Mr. Adam Brown, who while doing his job for the Developer, acknowledged my push to have something of substance (the Library) for the Community. A last minute agreement prior to the Community Council was worked out with the Library Staff, Developer and Mall Management.

The anxiety is over and a conclusion while not popular was rendered. I will have to monitor the effects of Traffic, Sewers, Electric Power,TTC service, social and other issues that may arise from this decision. As always, I ask you to help be my eyes and ears to alert me to problems or potential problems that may arise.

Thank you for working with me to make the best out of a very unpopular situation.

Washing wisely - what you need to know when washing your car this summer

Before you wash your car this summer, you should know that the City of Toronto has by-laws regulating what can and can't be done to wash your vehicle. Read on to find out how you can avoid a stiff fine.

June 15, 2010

Washing wisely - what you need to know when washing your car this summer

With the warm weather upon us, many Toronto residents are taking the opportunity to add car washing to their list of weekend chores. Unfortunately, the water that comes from washing your car often contains dirt, oil, grease, heavy metals, hazardous chemicals and soaps - all of which enter local streams, rivers and Lake Ontario and can then harm aquatic habitat.

It is important to be aware that there are two types of sewer systems in the City of Toronto. The sanitary system takes the used water from homes and businesses to a wastewater treatment plant for cleaning. The storm sewer system - the square grates on the side of the road - takes rainwater and melted snow from the streets and releases it, untreated, into local streams, rivers and Lake Ontario.

To avoid having dirty water run into the storm sewer system, consider these options for washing your car:
• Use a commercial car wash facility. These facilities are required to follow a set of practices determined by the City, including treating wastewater and discharging it into the sanitary sewer system where it will receive further treatment.
• Find a location where the wastewater won’t flow into the storm sewer. For example, washing cars on a grassy lawn or gravel surface allows the wastewater to be absorbed by the soil. Washing the car on your lawn doubles the water use by giving your lawn a good watering at the same time.
• Dispose of the wastewater into the sanitary sewer. By using a pail, washcloth and only a small amount of water, and then wiping the car dry, the waste water can be contained in the bucket and disposed of into the sanitary sewer through a laundry sink or toilet.

When choosing one of the above car washing options, here are a few tips to stay green:
• Don’t use soap. Instead, use a small amount of environmentally friendly water-based detergent that is phosphate and NPE free. Many other car-care products also contain harmful chemicals which should be avoided.
• Don’t wash your car during drought conditions.
• Re-think the need to wash your car if rain is in the forecast.

The City of Toronto has a Sewers Bylaw that prohibits the discharge of any water other than storm water or melted snow into the storm sewers.

For more information, visit http://www.toronto.ca/water or call 311.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. For information about non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Tax & Water Relief Programs for Low Income Seniors and Low Income Persons with a Disability

The City of Toronto offers tax and water relief programs for low income seniors and low income persons with a disability. If you are a senior and interested in this program, contact our office at 416-392-1374 as soon as possible to request an information package and application form. Application must be submitted by August 31, 2010.

Useful Links
City of Toronto: Property Tax

Careers in Toronto Public Service

The City of Toronto has an ongoing job postings section on the City website. Whether you are a student looking for a part-time summer job, or a professional looking for a full-time commitment, check the board regularly, as postings continue to cycle.

Waste Wizard - learn what to do with your waste materials

Need help sorting your garbage? Don't know what to do with a broken couch, or an old standing lamp? The City is here to help! The City's latest online project, the Waste Wizard, is a searchable database of what goes where on garbage day.

Give it a spin here.

If you need any additional help, please feel free to contact our office at 416-392-1374, or via email.

Toronto's $2.8-billion Doomsday Clock is ticking (The Globe and Mail)

Reprinted from The Globe and Mail, October 3rd, 2009:

“Councillor Mike Del Grande, an accountant by training, calls [the city's benefit liability] a 'ticking time-bomb.' He argues that while everyone gets excited about the mayor and the $200-million, they are missing the real story: The city’s failure to grapple with its soaring liabilities.”

Read more...

Toronto on strike: Council approves deal with both unions to end strike (The National Post)

Reprinted from The National Post Blog, July 31st, 2009:

"Councillor Mike Del Grande (Scarborough Agincourt) said he got 500 emails from angry constituents saying vote no.

'I have to represent them,' he said."

See full article for a list of how councillors voted.
Read more...

Councillors to vote on CUPE settlement this Friday

Update from Councillor Del Grande:
I received over 500 e-mail responses and also from door knocking feedback. The vast majority told me to vote NO.

As I represent the majority's desire I did as you instructed me to do.

Dear Neighbour:
Based on recent Media Reports:
1) What are your views on the City settlement between the Mayor and the Unions?
2) Would you entertain more taxes and costs to all Toronto residents to pay for this settlement?
I look forward to your reply by July 30th as Council will be voting on the settlement on July 31st.

Thank you.

Mike Del Grande
Councillor - Ward 39 - Scarborough-Agincourt
City of Toronto
councillor_delgrande@toronto.ca

Pending ratification by CUPE members, council will be meeting this Friday, July 31st, to vote on the labour deal which was reached on Monday. The councillor would like to know your opinion, so please take your time to leave your comments under this post.

City reaches tentative deal with CUPE local 416

As of 8:30 this morning, the City of Toronto and CUPE local 416 reached a tentative agreement. The city has withheld details of this agreement until negotiations with CUPE local 79 end, but CUPE representatives have stated that they have not backed down on concessions which the City recommended. The strike will continue until a deal is reached with local 79, and it is estimated that work could resume by Wednesday.

We'll keep you posted as to the details of the negotations as we hear them, please stayed tuned for further updates