Toronto councillors remain divided over proposed taxes that Mayor David Miller says are crucial to the city's long-term health.
A vote on the proposals is expected Monday.
Councillor Adam Giambrone told CTV News the city is in desperate need of cash to save its municipal services, and that he'll vote in favour of the tax hike.
As chair of the TTC, he said he needs more money to run the city's transit system.
"I think people realize that the alternatives are so unpalatable," he said.
"You add it all up, and cutting $600 million out of discretionary budgets would mean you slash the parks budget by 50 per cent, and slash the TTC by 50 per cent. I mean, these are such horrible things to think about, that if I did that as a city councilor I'd face a lot tougher questions come the next election."
City hall is proposing eight new taxes including a $60 vehicle-registration tax, a 1.5 per cent land transfer tax on the sale of residential and commercial property, a 5 per cent tax on alcohol served and sold at various establishments and a tax on billboards.
The proposed land transfer tax would cost residents an additional $4,244 on the purchase of the average priced home of $380,000, while the vehicle registration fee will cost motorists an additional $60 a year.
New home buyers, and first-time home buyers, would be exempt from the land transfer tax.
With 45 members on council, including the mayor, 23 votes are needed to approve the taxes if everyone shows up Monday.
Kevin Gaudet, a spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Association, said the proposed taxes would hurt the city's economy by essentially pushing investments to the suburbs.
"It's like putting a tax fortress around the city that keeps people from wanting to spend money in Toronto," he said.
Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong is firmly opposed to the new taxes.
"We're getting a lot of angry emails from residents who don't want to pay more tax," he said.
Minnan-Wong added that if Torontonians saw more value for their money at city hall, they would feel better about the tax hike.
With a report by CTV's Austin Delaney
