I’ve been writing about the budget so long. Please help. I want to go home ;_; Continue reading Linkdump: All My 2016 Municipal Budget Writing
Tag: councilwatching
Torontoist Explains: City Council Revenue Tools
This post first appeared on Torontoist.com in February 2016. It is very out of date and is republished here for historical purposes.
Featured photo by edk7 from the Torontoist Flickr pool.
I won’t call them revenue tools. I think that’s a misnomer. We have to have more taxes or fees to offset the cost of government.
—John Campbell (Ward 4, Etobicoke Centre)
John Campbell is right. A “revenue tool” is just any way the City can bring in more money. Using “revenue tool” may circumvent that knee-jerk response people get when you say “taxes”. The difference is that John Campbell thinks taxes and fees are inherently a bad thing, and others don’t. Welcome to the plight of the Toronto Revenue Tools Debate.
Continue reading Torontoist Explains: City Council Revenue Tools
City Council Recap: February 2016
You read the preview, now here’s the recap. Here’s key happenings from this month’s City Council meeting.
City Council Preview: February 2016
Friends, we can all agree that the municipal budget is the most exciting part of the year. But don’t get distracted—there’s a regular City Council meeting this month, too. On the agenda: Uber, fireworks, Toronto Hydro, subways, animal control, and even some good old-fashioned Rob Ford drama.
Let’s check it out, and understand the agenda better than those 15 councillors who never raise their hand in class.
City Council Preview: December 2015
Hello again, everyone! It’s the most wonderful time of the year—that’s right, municipal budget time. But amid our festivities, the everyday business of City Council must go on. Here’s a peek at what’s on this month’s City Council agenda.
How City Council Procedure Works
Tuning in to City Council for the first time—or even watching in person? You may feel lost and confused. Once you understand how council procedure works, you may still feel lost and confused, but at least you’ll know what’s going on.
The Cheat Sheet: Nov. 3 City Council
Hello again, everyone! It’s so nice to be back. On this month’s agenda: the poverty reduction strategy, hookah lounges, Old City Hall, and probably the first use of “selfie” in council history.
#TOcouncil Google Calendar
As a council-watcher, I live by the City Council & committee meeting schedule. You can download the schedule, but it’s not live—you need to check the web version or follow the City Clerk on Twitter to make sure a meeting hasn’t been cancelled or rescheduled.
To make things easier for myself (and hopefully others), I’ve imported the schedule into Google Calendar and am updating it manually as necessary. You can add it to your own calendar for timely notifications!
Back to School: Sept. 8 Toronto & East York Community Council
Well, we’ve had a lovely summer full of lakeside rambles and spider photography, but it’s time to head back to City Hall as regular committee meetings start up again. Here’s a quick1 skim over Tuesday’s TEYCC agenda: Continue reading Back to School: Sept. 8 Toronto & East York Community Council
Cllr Layton’s “House of Cards” moment
Just one of those little moments that make council-watching worth it: Cllr Layton breaks the fourth wall during the 2015 budget debate. I’ve included his whole speech for context; skip to around 3m40s for the good stuff.