Toronto Council meets today!

"We promised that we would work on paying the COVID bill, and then we would stabilize. And as a result, you have one of the most reasonable property tax increases anywhere in the GTHA. Others are not finished paying their COVID bill!" says budget chief Shelley Carroll.

"If you're worried about our reserves, I don't think the public should come away from watching this little TV show on YouTube without remembering we have almost $10 billion in reserve. Almost 10 billion dollars!" says Carroll.

Councillor Myers moves for a report as part of next year's budget on ways to improve the working relationship between the TTC and City Hall. He says that could include the city attaching KPIs to the operating subsidy, and the TTC formalizing requests for what they need to meet those KPIs.

The budget motion tracker has been updated with the vote results. https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/GqDUo/5/

Councillor Josh Matlow moves for the City Manager to start negotiations on getting the city a share of the HST. He doesn't offer a speech, though. I guess it speaks for itself.

Councillor Morley moves for reports on ways to improve drop-in sites for homeless people and options for providing better snow-clearing for seniors and people with disabilities.

Councillor Pasternak has FOUR motions. ("It was a late night," he says.)

1. Report on creating a "Major Gifts Office"
2. Accelerate design for Downsview Community Centre
3. Report on DVP/Gardiner negotiation status
4. "Vigorously" oppose $10 million cut to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund

Councillor Burnside moves to ask the TTC to consider increasing fares by ten cents, with the extra revenue going toward providing better service and expanding eligibility for the low-income Fair Pass.

Councillor Bradford moves to increase the tax break for small businesses to 25%. "I don't think small businesses want half measures. I think they deserve our whole-hearted support."

Councillor Bravo has a VERY interesting motion. She wants the police to report on how much the Toronto Police have saved via moves like the establishment of the community crisis service and the transfer of the crossing guard program from the cops to city hall.

Councillor Anthony Perruzza continues his annual tradition of asking the provincial government if Toronto can just keep the education portion of the property tax. Running up that hill.

Immediate loud GROANS from councillors as Councillor Stephen Holyday stands up and moves to bring back mechanical leaf collection.

Credit where it's due: "Guy who is skeptical of every single government service except the truck that drives around with a big vacuum to suck up the leaves" is a good, unique character for this drama.

Councillor Paula Fletcher moves for a report on a "long-term, sustainable future" for the Applegrove Community Centre.

Councillor Crisanti moves for a report on offering discounted off-peak and weekend rides for seniors using Wheel-Trans.

Time to vote! The end is night. But there are lots of motions, so council takes a five-minute recess to let the clerk get everything in order.

(The end is NIGH, I meant. But "the end is night" seems kind of poetic? Eh, I'll leave it.)

Councillor Brad Bradford's motion to increase the small biz property tax break to 25% (instead of 20%) FAILS 5-20.

Councillor Carroll's motion to increase the small biz property tax break to 20% CARRIES 23-2.

Councillor Matlow's motion requesting the City Manager start negotiations on getting Toronto a slice of HST revenue CARRIES 24-1.