Put People First in City Election Campaign

I have been tiring of the narrow city election debate so wrote the following article for my community newspaper the Bloor West Villager.

http://www.insidetoronto.com/opinion/letters/article/820870--put-people-first-in-city-election-campaign


Put People First in City Election Campaign

As debate heats up on who will lead the city after the next municipal election, it appears financial statements are receiving far more attention than the well-being of residents. In a devastating economic recession, with too many individuals sleeping on our streets, too few youth with genuine opportunities for the future and too many families struggling with the impact of job losses, this focal point is as politically short-sighted as it is morally unjustifiable.

While there is an emerging conventional wisdom that the city’s finances are a mess and radical change is needed, it is always worthwhile to question conventional wisdom, particularly in politics. Consider:

• Toronto has one of the lowest residential property tax rates in the GTA.
• Toronto welcomes more new residents from than any other city in Canada – bringing with them many benefits but also necessary settlement costs.
• Toronto, unlike other major cities in the world, shoulders most or all of the cost for some public services such as the operating costs of public transit.
• Toronto’s municipal government, unlike the federal and provincial governments, is legally prevented from running a deficit.

Now let’s consider these facts in another context.

Imagine a family whose income was less than that of its neighbours. The neighbourhood kids like to visit this safe and friendly home thus adding to the family’s expenses. This family is forced to pay for services others receive at no cost and unlike others, this family cannot borrow money to purchase essential items or temporarily cover additional expenses. Oblivious to circumstance, many people will chastise this family for poor money management.

In this context, such a reaction is preposterous, even uninformed. Yet it is exactly with this same righteous indignation that many mayoralty candidates are demanding Toronto “get its financial house in order” while ignoring many other important issues.

Candidates who see opportunity in sensationalizing the city’s fiscal situation for political gain must therefore be challenged to provide intellectually honest answers to some obvious questions. Would they sell money-making city assets to raise funds? Eliminate small grants to community organizations? Raise taxes? Or cut spending to one of the city’s largest expenditures, the police force?

Most importantly, how will the candidates make Toronto a more livable city for all residents?

The current narrowly focused debate fails to recognize the very real challenges, hopes and dreams of Torontonians. It also ignores advice from local economists like Don Drummond and Richard Florida who argue public investment in infrastructure and the arts help create the conditions for economic growth.

Regrettably, we are not hearing enough from the candidates about such investments – from increasing access to public transit to supporting programs for at-risk youth, providing safe housing options for individuals in need to creating new artistic and cultural initiatives.

Yes municipal financial statements are important. But the true health of a city can be measured by the well-being of its residents. The municipal election campaign is now four months old; it’s time the candidates started putting people first.

Christopher Holcroft