January 11 – Women Speak Out Against the Cuts, Toronto Board of Trade Supports Community Grants, Property Tax Increase, Mapping the Cuts Interview
Posted on 12. Jan, 2012 by Beth.
Women Speak Out Against the Cuts
This morning at City Hall, women service users and women workers spoke out against the budget cuts that will disproportionately impact women with racialized women, newcomer women, women with disabilities and young women especially affected. Women as a group have higher than average rates of poverty; they hold roles as primary care providers, and make up a substantial segment of the public service workforce whose jobs are on the line.
Speakers talked about how the cuts will impact their lives, and the lives of women in their community in areas such as TTC, child care, recreation, health, community grants, and good jobs. The event was organized by Toronto Women’s City Alliance, the Immigrant Women’s Health Centre, Good Jobs for All, Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto, and the United Steelworkers Toronto Women’s Committee. Read the media release here
Toronto Board of Trade Supports Bigger Property Tax Increase, Protection of Services
The Toronto Board of Trade has written a letter to members of Council calling for a 3% property tax increase (over the 2.5% recommended), an extra 5 cent increase to TTC fares for a total of 15 cent, saving community grants that allow nonprofit community agencies to provide vital community services, health initiatives and art programs across the city, safeguarding services to priority neighbourhoods and investing more in the TTC. Read the report here
Mapping the Cuts: CBC Radio Interview
SPT Senior Researcher Beth Wilson (yours truly) was interviewed by CBC Radio’s Here and Now Toronto host Laura Di Battista about the impact of service cuts on low income neighbourhoods, and how to take these damaging cuts off the table. Listen here
SPT Director of Community Engagement Presents to Packed House at Ward 15 Eglinton-Lawrence Budget Forum
Last night, several councillors held their local constituent budget forums. It was standing room only with over one hundred people at Councillor Colle’s forum in Eglinton-Lawrence. SPT Director of Community Engagement Winston Tinglin and Toronto Board of Trade VP Richard Joy presented their perspectives on the City budget. Residents took part in small group discussions and then offered their analysis, asked questions and called for action at the town hall. Overwhelmingly residents called on Councillor Colle to vote against the service cuts that will hurt their community and groups across the city.
See Winston’s powerpoint presentation here
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January 10 – Mapping the Cuts Part II
Posted on 10. Jan, 2012 by Beth.
Download the PDF
Toronto Budget Update – January 9, 2012
Budget Committee Keeps $85.2 Million in Cuts on the Table,
Majority of Location-Specific Cuts in Low Income Neighbourhoods
On January 9, the Budget Committee concluded its review of the 2012 City operating and capital budgets, recommending $85.2 million in service cuts, down from $88 million proposed in the original staff-recommended budget launched on November 28. As well, the committee maintained the staff recommendations for recreation user fee increases and a TTC fare hike.
Among 120 location-specific cuts recommended by the Budget Committee, 56% are located in low income neighbourhoods. We have mapped two types of cuts: 59 library and 61 non-library sites. Forty-six percent of library branches at risk of cuts to operating hours and 66% of non-library services slated for cuts, including recreation, child care, homeless shelters, long-term care homes and farms/zoos, are located in low income neighbourhoods. Forty-five percent of Toronto neighbourhoods have poverty levels above the city average of 24.5%.
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January 9 – Budget Committee Wraps Up, Councillor Budget Forum
Posted on 09. Jan, 2012 by Beth.
Councillor Budget Forum
Councillor Pasternak, Ward 10 York Centre, is holding a budget drop-in session for residents on Tuesday, January 10 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at his constituency office, 638 Sheppard Avenue West in Suite 220. The Councillor is now publicizing this session on facebook and his website. Drop by between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. with any questions, comments or concerns. Contact info for Councillor Pasternak: 416-392-1371, councillor_pasternak@toronto.ca
Budget Committee Wraps Up – Bulk of Proposed Cuts Still on the Table
Budget Committee made its final recommendations for the 2012 operating and capital budgets on Monday, taking $2.8 million in cuts off table, leaving $85.2 million in proposed cuts down from $88 million identified in the staff-recommended budget launched on November 28.
The committee voted to use $2.8 million from a pot of $8.8 million from unanticipated assessment growth to remove three items from the long list of proposed cuts. Fifty-eight student nutrition programs, programs in 12 Toronto District School Board (TDSB) shared-use community centres and 2 of 7 TDSB pools were spared. The Budget Committee maintained the vast majority of service cuts, the TTC fare increase and recreation user fee increases identified in the staff-recommended budget. The two school pools removed from the chopping block are located in Bedford and Sir Wilfrid Laurier schools, Wards 25 (Councillor Robinson) and 43 (Councillor Ainslie). The motion exempted school pools on the cuts list that did not have a neighbouring pool within a 3 km radius. The remaining 5 school pools slated for elimination of City programs are located in Wards 13 (Councillor Doucette), 21 (Councillor Mihevc), 30 (Councillor Fletcher), 31 (Councillor Davis) and 32 (Councillor McMahon). Some Councillors noted that the two school pools that were saved are located in the wards of Councillors on the Mayor’s Executive Committee.
Our Public Libraries at Risk
In October, a staff report to the Toronto Public Library (TPL) board identified 59 libraries including research and reference, district and neighbourhood branches for proposed service reductions in the hours of operation. On two occasions, the TPL board refused to make this recommendation. Instead, the board passed a budget with a 5.9% cut, against the direction of the City Manager to all departments, agencies, boards and commissions to reduce their budgets by 10% (many did not).
On January 9, the Budget Committee passed a motion requiring the board to make additional cuts totaling 10%. Councillor Lee was the single member of the Budget Committee to vote against this motion. The Chief Librarian made it clear that to achieve this budget target, the TPL will have to cut hours of operation, the circulation budget and/or programs such as literacy support.
Finance, Core Service Review, Service Efficiency Reports
In addition to voting on the City budget, the Budget Committee reviewed several related reports including the third-quarter variance report with the $154 surplus estimate (plus $20 million earmarked for staff buyout packages), updates on the core service review and service efficiency studies.
Check the agenda for links
New Map of the Cuts
Tomorrow we will release a new map of the proposed cuts based on the Budget Committee recommendations. Watch for it.
Executive Committee and City Council
Next up, Executive Committee reviews the Budget Committee recommendations on Thursday, January 12 at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall, Committee Room 1. Then it’s all up to City Council at its January 17-19 meeting for a final decision on the 2012 City operating and capital budgets.
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January 8 – Malvern Community Coalition Meeting to Stop the Cuts Cancelled
Posted on 08. Jan, 2012 by Beth.
Malvern Community Coalition Meeting Cancelled
Unfortunately Malvern Community Coalition has had to cancel its January 12 public meeting to stop the cuts.
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January 6 – Community Grants Update, User Fee Impact on Families
Posted on 06. Jan, 2012 by Beth.
Community Grants Update – Targeted Cuts Anticipated
On January 5, City staff held an information session for nonprofit community agencies that receive City funding from the Community Service Partnerships (CSP) program. CSP funding “facilitates access to services that improve social outcome for vulnerable, marginalized and high-risk communities.” It is one of the larger programs funded under the City’s Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP). The budget includes a proposed cut of 9.8% to CPIP.
If City Council votes in favour of the cut to CPIP, City staff communicated that CSP “cuts will not be done as across-the-board 10% reductions to all programs. Programs will be ranked and only those that rank high compared to other CSP requests will be recommended.” Staff communicated that some programs may be cut by less than 10%, while others could be cut by 10% or more, including some that may be completely eliminated. When asked about other community grants under CPIP, staff confirmed that a similar evaluation of individual projects would take place, rather than a straight 10% cut across the board. Read the Question and Answer information sheet provided by the City here
Mayor Takes 58 Student Nutrition Programs and Recreation Programs at 12 School-Based Community Centres Off the Chopping Block
The Mayor announced to the media today that he supports using $2.5 million from the $8.8 million in unanticipated property assessment growth (not part of the 2011 surplus) to cover the cost of the 58 student nutrition programs and recreation programs in 12 school-based community centres off the chopping block. A long list of proposed cuts would remain including cuts and fee increases for recreation. Recreation cuts and user fee increases include elimination of free child and youth registered programs at 21 Priority Centres, closure of some wading pools, outdoor pools and school pools, reduced hours at several indoor arenas, and increases to recreation user fees as high as 13%. After removing $2.5 million in cuts, the proposed cuts for the City budget would total $85.5 million.
Proposed User Fee Increases Cost Family of 4 an Extra $1,543 per Year
Recent analysis suggests a family of 4 could be looking at an increase of $1,543 per year to cover increases in user fees proposed in the budget. User fee increases from water bills, TTC, child care and recreation programs all add up to big expenses for families with children, according to new analysis. See the breakdown here
Read the media coverage here
Councillor Budget Forum Update
- Councillor McMahon, Ward 32 Beaches-East York, and TDSB Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher are hosting a Support Our Ward 32 Pools event with a two-hour free recreational swim on Friday, January 13 from 4-6 p.m. at S.H. Armstrong Community Centre Pool (inside Duke of Connaught School), 56 Woodfield Avenue, NW of Coxwell and Queen, 416-392-0734
- Councillor Pasternak, Ward 10 York Centre: We have received an update from Councillor Pasternak. He is organizing a budget meeting for constituents who have let his office know that they would like to attend. We would suggest that you contact Councillor Pasternak to ensure that you are on the invitation list for his budget meeting. No details about date or time were available. Contact Councillor Pasternak at 416-392-1371 or councillor_pasternak@toronto.ca
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