Torontonians will get their first look Monday at how Mayor Rob Ford intends to carve hundreds of millions of dollars from the city's budget without affecting services.
Ford has said he wants a five-per-cent cut in operating expenses as part of a goal to keep the property-tax increase to zero.
City manager Joe Pennachetti has asked his bureaucrats to find ways to reduce costs.
"We must make tough decisions or someone else will make them for us," Pennachetti told them in a letter obtained by CTV Toronto.
However, the following agencies want more money:
- Toronto Police Service - 3 per cent increase
- Toronto Public Health - 1.5. per cent increase
- Public Library Board - 2.6 per cent increase (down from 3.3 per cent)
Coun. Janet Davis (Ward 31, Beaches-East York) is a member of the library board.
"We found $1 million in efficiencies but decided not to cut services," she said about the Thursday night vote by the board on its budget request.
The move will keep the Urban Affairs branch open and to allow the libraries to stave off another cut that would have seen it forced to acquire 18,400 fewer books.
In response, Nick Kouvalis, the mayor's chief of staff, told CTV Toronto that the library board is now "on his radar" and that he would be watching every penny it spends.
Budget chief Michael Del Grande was more forgiving.
"They can ask for an increase and they might even get it, but then that money will have to come out of another department to balance it out," he said.
Police Chief Bill Blair said earlier this week that it would be impossible to cut his budget by five per cent without cutting police officers on the street.
Meanwhile, the health board wants more money to help it fight the bed bug scourge in the city.
Ford did inherit a surplus from last year's city budget of more than $280 million. However, he has moved to cut the city's unpopular vehicle registration tax, which will cost the city $64 million in revenue.
When Ford released his fiscal plan during the mayoral race, he said: "I assure you services will not be cut. I will guarantee it."
Since winning power, Ford has softened his messaging to no "major" service cuts.
He didn't campaign on a property-tax freeze, instead saying he would hold increases to the rate of inflation, but then set a goal of no increase.
In 2010, city council approved a $9.2 billion operating budget. Funds are allocated as follows:
- Police, EMS and fire - 16 per cent
- Transit - 16 per cent
- Social services - 34 per cent
The remaining 34 per cent is spread amongst an array of municipal services.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Alicia Markson
