City’s cost-cutting report revealed
Posted September 12, 2011 5:43 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – The city unveiled its recommendations for which jobs, services and city-run attractions should be cut in the face of a massive budget shortfall.
City manager Joe Pennachetti released the final report of the core services review, Monday. Full coverage of City Hall
Some of the proposed cuts include trying to find to find a buyer for the Toronto Zoo and Riverdale Farm — and if not, then shutting them down — reduced standards for grass-cutting and snow-clearing, subsidized child care spaces and closing museums.
“Mayor Ford said to us I know where the money is, there are no cuts, I promise there are no cuts. Every single page in this report says cut, cut, cut, eliminate, eliminate, eliminate,” Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker said.
City Manager Joe Pannachetti said he knows the recommendations will not be well received by a number of parties.
“My goal is to balance looking at those services against the fiscal reality of a huge, massive budgetary short fall,” said Pannachetti.
Pannachetti said the proposed cuts and reductions would result in $200-million to $300-million in savings over a four year period.
Budget Chief Michael Del Grande said the city has to cut back to deal with a huge budget shortfall.
“What are the other alternatives? The other alternatives are lets increase the taxes by 30 odd per cent in order to balance the 774,” said Del Grande.
Councillor Paul Ainslie said he finds no surprises in this report.
“This is something that is going to be debated at city council and everything is on the table, as they’ve said all along,” said Ainslie.
Councillor De Baeremaeker said this report is everybody’s worst nightmare.
“Ford lied to us. Mayor Ford said to us I know where the money is, there are no cuts, no cuts, I promise no cuts,” said De Baeremaeker.
Some of the other recommendations in the report include closing some museums and libraries as well as TTC service reductions.
The report will go to the executive committee on September 19.
