Councillor Joe Mihevc

December 05, 2011

The draft 2012 Budget was released last Monday. The cuts and "efficiencies" put forward in this Budget will have a profound impact on the quality of services being delivered across the City and in Ward 21. Many of you have expressed concern about these cuts and I am working to oppose this budget at City Hall.

In Ward 21, cuts will be felt in a number of ways including: cuts to TTC services, library services and recreation services. I am always impressed by the level of civic engagement in our Ward and I hope you all continue to stay active and informed. For that reason, I urge everyone to take note of the following important dates:
 
Public Deputations to the Budget Committee
Wednesday Dec. 7^th and 8^th at City Hall

Ward 21 Community Budget Meeting 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Tuesday Dec 13^th at Hillcrest Public School

To make a deputation contact:
Janet Chivilo at 416-392-1032 or Merie MacDonald at 416-392-7340 by Dec. 6^th.
 
The budget will effect our City, from fewer staff at City Hall to deliver services and cuts to community grants, to increased user fees: The cuts will effect everyone.

In Ward 21 specifically, we are faced with the following cuts:

• HILLCREST COMMUNITY CENTRE and POOL are threatened as the City  proposes cancelling their contact with the TDSB and withdrawing funding for program staff.
   
• FOREST HILL LIBRARY and WYCHWOOD LIBRARY will see reduced hours. On Monday and Thursday, the libraries will open at 12:30 pm, as opposed to 9:00 am.

 

• The 63 OSSINGTON BUS, the 7 BATHURST BUS and the 512 ST. CLAIR STREETCAR services will be reduced. Wait times between busses and crowding will increase. For more details, see below.

 

• PHIL WHITE ARENA will close during the hours of 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. Those affected will include school children (55% of day-time users) who use the ice for field trips and hockey practice. Other senior, youth and adult programming will be lost. The off-peak hours are also used for ice maintenance.

I urge you to consider making a deputation this Wednesday or Thursday. I also encourage you to come out to the Ward 21 Community Budget Meeting on Dec. 13^th at Hillcrest Public School.
 
Below I discuss some aspects of the budget in more detail. I welcome all of your phone calls and emails. Later in the week, I will send out an email outlining upcoming community events and other community news. In the mean time, I hope you find the information included here helpful in digesting what the tabled cuts will mean for you, your family and our City as a whole. Over the course of the next few days, details about the cuts will be further clarified. I will post relevant information on my website at www.joemihevc.com.
 

1. Budget Breakdown
2. TTC Service Reductions
3. Library Service Reduction Details
4. Cuts to Parks, Forestry and Recreation
5. Cuts to Community Services Overview

1. Budget Breakdown
   As you know, City Manager Joseph Pennachetti released the staff recommended 2012 Operating and Capital Budgets. Many of the proposed cuts are a result of the Mayor's request for a 10% budget reduction from every City Department, Agency, Board and Commission.

   I would like to highlight the fact that we are not in a financial crisis as the Mayor has claimed. The following graph helps illustrate that had we not frozen property taxes in 2011, had we not cancelled the vehicle registration tax, and if we could used 2011's surplus we would only be short $55 million and would be able to avoid the vast majority of the harmful cuts. I believe strongly in being fiscally responsible. There are better solutions than cuts.

   
    
   To address the shortfall, staff suggest raising revenue through:

   • 2.5% property tax hike;
   • Increased TTC fares;
   • Increased user fees including recreation programs for children, seniors and low-income individuals, as well as ice rink permits;
   • Increased garbage rates for multi-unit residential buildings;
   • Charging non-profits, faith organization and charities for garbage collection.

   At City Hall, 1190.5 positions will be eliminated and 1148 current vacancies will not be filled. This will result in a loss of 2338.5 jobs.
    
   The following list highlights a few, but not all the proposed cuts across the City:

   • Ending City funding for 7 TDSB school pools, 2 outdoor pools and 5 wading pools;
   • Eliminating City funded programming at 12 TDSB shared use community recreation centres;
   • Reduction in Wheel-Trans services for dialysis patients;
   • $4 million less in Community Partnership and Investment Program Grants;
   • Elimination of WinterCity outdoor programming;
   • Reducing road cleaning standards;
   • Reduction in child care services;
   • Reduction in horticultural service;
   • Reduction in street trees and urban forestry programs;
   • Over $1 million reduction in Long Term Care Homes;
   • Closure of several child care centres;
   • Closure of several homeless shelters.
      
2. Library Service Reduction Details
   Across the City, there would be a total loss of 19,444 (7%) operating hours. 56 of 98 branches will have reduced hours. Sunday service will be maintained at 19 branches and eliminated at 8 branches. Also, a cut of $1.89 million to collections would mean a loss of approximately 106,000 (12%) new items.
   For more information, click here.

   

    

3. Cuts to Parks, Forestry and Recreation
   To achieve their 10% budget reduction, Parks, Forestry and Recreation are proposing:
   • Closing 10 out of 22 stand alone arenas during off-peak day-time hours, thereby eliminating 7.5 jobs. Of all those affected by reduced ice-time, 55% are school children.  The list of rinks affected include: Long Branch Arena, Christ Tonks Arena, Bayview Arena, Lambton Arena, Habitant Arena, Commander Park RC, Phil White Arena, Pine Point Arena, John Booth Arena and Baycrest Arena. This will save the City $0.26 million. Closing these rinks during day-time hours will not only vastly limit ice-time availability, but will also affect ice quality, as it is during the day that there is the opportunity to build-up and maintain new ice;
   • Ending the Recreation Departments use of 7 of the City's 33 TDSB owned swimming pools, deleting 15 positions. Hillcrest Community Centre and Pool will be affected by this;
   • Eliminate programming at 12 of the City's 29 TDSB shared-use Community Centres. This will result in savings of $2.111 million and the elimination of 72 positions;
   • Closing 2 of 59 selected outdoor pools;
   • Closing High Park Zoo and Far Enough Farm Zoo.

     

4. Cuts to Community Services Overview
   Part of the Budget included cuts to services and programs that support children, seniors and other vulnerable Torontonians. The following list highlights a few areas of concern.
   • $634,000 would be cut from Public Health programs – this includes reductions in student nutrition programs, and AIDS and drug prevention programs;
   • $1,939,000 would be cut from Arts & Culture
   • The elimination of the Hardship Fund in June 2012 – consider signing the petition;
   • Closure of three emergency shelters (Birchmount, Downsview Dells and Bellwoods);
   • 10% cut to community agencies servicing the needier people in the City.
      

   To read more, please follow this link.
    

5. TTC Service Reductions
   I couldn't agree more with Jamie Kirkpatrick, spokesperson for TTCriders when he says "at a time when TTC ridership is at a record high it is unbelievable that these cuts are being forced on the TTC." Reduced services hurt everyone, and with the population of Toronto steadily increasing, we simply cannot afford to cut back on the services provided by the TTC.

   Though TTC fare hikes hurt riders, I would rather see a slight increase in fares to keep service reliable while we work on long-term funding models that would allow us to build a better TTC and eventually reduce fares. Across the city, crowding standards during peak hours will increase 10% and approximately 77 routes will be affected by longer wait times. To sign a petition, click here. Below are the specifics for the impacted Ward 21 TTC routes.

   7 BATHURST
   From Monday to Friday, in the morning peak period, three buses will be removed and the service will change from every 5 min 30 s to every 6 min 30 s. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 42 to 50.
   In the midday, three buses will be removed and the service will change from every 6 min 30 s to every 8 min. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 30 to 43.
   In the afternoon peak period, two buses will be removed and the service will change from every 6 min to every 6 min 45 s. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 41 to 46.
   In the early evening, one bus will be removed and the service will change from every 7 min 30 s to every 8 min 30 s. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 33 to 38.
   On Saturdays, one bus will be removed in the morning, and the service will change from every 8 min 30 s to every 9 min 30 s. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 34 to 38. In the afternoon, three buses will be
   removed and the service will change from every 6 min 15 s to every 7 min 45 s. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 39 to 41.
   On Sundays and holidays, one bus will be removed in the morning, and the service will change from every 9 min to every 10 min. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 34 to 38. In the afternoon, two buses will be be removed and the service will change from every 6 min 30 s to every 7 min 40 s. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 36 to 43.

   63 OSSINGTON
   Midday from Monday to Friday two buses will be removed, and the service will change from every 6 min 45 s to every 8 min. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 35 to 41.
   On Saturday mornings, one bus will be removed, and the service will change from every 7 min 30 s to every 8 min. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 30 to 32.
   On Saturday afternoons, one bus will be removed, and the service will change from every 6 min 30 s to every 7 min. The average number of customers per bus during the busiest hour will increase from 37 to 40.
    
   512 ST. CLAIR
   Service will be increased in the morning peak period from Monday to Friday, to reduce crowding. One car will be added and the service will be improved from every 2 min 55 s to every 2 min 45 s. The average number of customers per car will be reduced from 74 to 70.
   Service will be increased in the afternoon peak period from Monday to Friday, to reduce crowding. One car will be added, and the service will be improved from every 3 min 30 s to every 3 min 20 s. The average number of customers per car will be reduced from 74 to 69.
   During midday from Monday to Friday two cars will be removed, the service will change from every 5 min to every 6 min, and the average number of customers per car will change from 44 to 53.
   On Saturday mornings, two cars will be removed, the service will change from every 4 min 40 s to every 5 min 30 s, and the average number of customers per car will change from 36 to 42.
   On Saturday afternoons, two cars will be removed, the service will change from every 4 min to every 4 min 40 s, and the
   average number of customers per car will change from 43 to 50.
   On Sunday afternoons, and holidays two cars will be removed, the service will change from every 5 min 15 s to every 6 min 20 s, and the average number of customers per car will change from 42 to 53.

   

Should you have any questions about the issues listed here, do not hesitate to contact my office at 416-392-0208 or email councillor_mihevc@toronto.ca.

Sincerely,

Councillor Joe Mihevc
Ward 21, St. Paul's West