Toronto Council meets today!

"We're the leading producer of housing in this country, yet we were cut by $10 million from the Housing Accelerator Fund based on a petty dispute over sixplexes," complains Pasternak.

Pasternak ends by apologizing to the police for his earlier question about "hiding behind the charter." He says he has "high regard for them and high respect for their work."

Bravo asks Pasternak if he's concerned that his motion could delay the opening of the Wilson Ave shelter by 12-18 months, and/or force the city to break design and construction contracts, and/or cost $340K per month as the city is forced to shelter people in hotels. Pasternak is not concerned.

Here's my ongoing motion tracker for this city budget debate, if you want to play along at home. I'll update it with motions as they come and the results of the votes when we finally get there. https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/GqDUo/2/

Councillor Lily Cheng laments that "every year I have to advocate for economic and cultural investments" in North York Centre.

She warns that without those investments, the North York Centre Secondary Plan and resulting population growth will turn the area into a "vertical suburb."

"There have some people that are saying, 'OK, the police budget, why did you increase it?'" notes Councillor Mike Colle. "And I say, 'Where the heck have you been?' The policework has meant there's a significant decrease in criminal activity in Toronto."

Councillor Parthi Kandavel moves a pair of motions: one to accelerate playground and splashpad construction at Bluffer's Park, and one to speed up a rec centre project.

Councillor Bradford moves to move some capital dollars up to speed up the Main Square Community Centre project.

"Mayor Chow is using one-time reserve draws to paper over operating costs. The same operating costs that she has ballooned since taking office," says Bradford. "It's not that we've never used reserves — it's to the extent and what we are using them for."

Bradford calls Chow's budget "financial malpractice."

"This budget is mortgaging the city's future to make an election-year budget look better on paper today."

"I do have an announcement for everyone — it's raining!" says Councillor Fletcher, metaphorically. "We have somebody south of the border creating a lot of storms!"

She points to tariffs and the economic situation as reasons to prioritize affordability in this budget.

Before Council voted on the budget motions, Councillor Mike Colle declares a conflict of interest on any TTC-related portions and says he won't vote on those parts. His son Josh works for the TTC.

All 18 parts of Councillor Shelley Carroll's omnibus budget amendment CARRY 23-2.

Councillor Stephen Holyday's motion to cancel the TTC's new fare capping program FAILS 3-21.

Holyday's motion to change TTC policy so kids under 12 have to pay fares FAILS 1-23.

Holyday's motion to raise TTC fares this year FAILS 1-23.

Councillor James Pasternak's motion to delay funding for the new Wilson Ave shelter FAILS 5-20.

Councillor Bradford's motion to accelerate the Main Square Community Centre Redevelopment Design project CARRIES 25-0.

And that completes the debate on the mayor's budget. Unless Chow vetoes any of the amendments — and she won't — it'll be deemed adopted shortly.

But we're not done yet. There's still the not-so-small matter of approving the tax rates. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2026.CC38.1

On the tax rate item, Councillor Carroll moves an expected motion to increase the tax break for small businesses from 15% to 20%. The money will be offset by a larger increase to larger businesses in the commercial property tax class.