Ont. vote shows support for taxes: Toronto mayor
Last Updated: Friday, October 12, 2007 | 9:29 AM ET
CBC News
Toronto Mayor David Miller and his allies say this week's provincial election results send the message that city residents are willing to pay higher taxes.
Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberals won a second majority and the party took 18 of 22 seats in Toronto, while the Conservative promise to cut taxes failed to net the party even one Toronto seat.
Miller said he sees the results as a good sign for his two proposed taxes.
"People are ready to pay when the money's being used to invest in the services they value," Miller told CBC News on Thursday.
"That's the message that comes from this election and that's what I hear from Torontonians every day."
Coun. Adam Vaughan agrees, suggesting politicians can raise taxes — even break promises about it — and still get elected.
In 2004, the Liberal government introduced an annual health tax of $60 to $900 per person, less than a year after it was elected on a promise not to raise taxes.
"For some of the councillors, there is now a level of comfort with raising taxes. There is no political price to pay," said Vaughan.
Council is scheduled on Oct. 22 to debate Miller's controversial plan for a land transfer tax and vehicle tax to address the city's $575-million budget deficit.
In July, council deferred, by one vote, Miller's plan to introduce the new fees, putting it off until after the provincial election. Those two measures, according to Miller, would have raised about $350 million.
Instead Miller brought in a number of service cuts as a means of achieving a balanced budget.
Meanwhile, president of the Toronto Board of Trade, Carol Wilding, said it's a mistake for Miller and Vaughan to come to the conclusion they did.
"I would say that is a big leap in logic to suggest that Torontonians are ready and accepting of a significant increase in taxes," she said.
Wilding said her members have told her that Toronto isn't competitive because taxes are too high.
