WEST TORONTO IS STILL ALIVE ?

BEING BLAMED FOR HOLDING UP THE TDSB BUDGET THOUGH... ?

As usual, here I am living across the street from West Toronto. I attended a Social Planning Conference a week or so back where I took On TDSB's Chris Spence for their negligence in letting residents know what was happening with the public facility (They hold public meetings, yet no one in my neighbourhood gets any notice before the meeting).

So... I am left to learn this from The Toronto Sun: http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/moira_macdonald/2010/10/05/15594486.html

"School Plans In Jeopardy As Trustees' Homework Not Finished" - Moira Macdonald

The 5 year plan approved June 23 was contingent on declaring 3 properties surplus.

West Toronto was expected to be one, but local outcry demanded that there be another public meeting...

Sun says "lefty-Maria Rodriguez" (true - she endorses Kevin Bealieu) got the decision to sell West Toronto (for expected $20 million) put off. That so-called public meeting was held in August - but now it's too close to the election so nothing is expected to happen until January.

"nobody wants to talk about selling or closing schools"...

Why not? Don't we have a right to know before some bureaucratic axe falls?

It looks like this is a good time to ask School Trustee candidates some tough questions !
We need answers from those Ward 9 trustees wanting our vote:

Andrew Waters.... email: andrewfortrustee@gmail.com
Maria Rodriguez... profile at: http://tinyurl.com/2cbjtgo website: http://www.mariarodrigues.ca/
Anil Gupta... email: ak9gupta@yahoo.com
Helder Gomes.. no email contact or website
John Costa ... profile at: http://tinyurl.com/24v9jqm website: http://tinyurl.com/2cbkqjn

... because...

Davenport Deserves Better

VOTE - SERIOUSLY - VOTE !

Will We See More Voters Actually Vote by October 25 ?

2006 Toronto City Election: Voter Turnout in Ward 18 Davenport = 35%

Number of elgible voters in Ward 18 Davenport = 26, 737 out of 45,620 population

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2006 Election Results: SIX candidates running...

Adam Giambrone = 6,025 votes = elected by about 22% of elegible voters

- or another way to say it is that 78% of voters didn't want him or didn't care

Simon Wookey = 2,089 (running this year in ward 27, TO Centre-Rosedale)

Jim McMillen = 292

Lloyd Ferguson = 262

Nha Le = 252 (running again in ward 18)

Jim Rawling = 87

... 9,006 people voted = only a 35% turnout

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2003 Election Results: SIX candidates running...

Adam Giambrone = 5,797 votes

Ana Bailao = 4,537 (running again in ward 18 in 2010)

Hotencio Fotopoulus = 387

Nha Le = 234

Cynamin Maxwell = 155

Anna Salaverry-Chuquihuara = 141

.... 11,250 people voted

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It seems that since only HALF of our ward population can actually vote, and that LESS THAN HALF of those who can vote do vote, and that anyone can get elected with just about TWENTY PER CENT of the people voting for that person...... isn't there something wrong with our democracy?

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I would advocate mandatory voting, but only if it allows a choice of 'NONE OF THE ABOVE' so we truly know the will of the people.

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The Better Ballots group http://www.betterballots.to/ has been looking at ways to improve our democracy so that the public will is actually reflected in the people we elect. This group not only questions why a diverse city like Toronto is not reflected in those who sit in power at City Council, but also why we don't find better ways to elect our representatives.

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RANKED BALLOTS ( or preferential voting) is something I believe in. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preferential_voting It essentially means picking your favourites by numbering all candidates 1,2,3,4, and so on. This avoids the 'first past the post' system of whoever gets the most votes in a race wins. Why is that unfair, you ask? Well if you have say - 12 - candidates running, some with similar platforms, 11 of them can split the vote letting the victors slip through, even though if asked voters will not want that dissimilar platform elected.

Until this is a reality, anyone who can get just 5,350 votes can win this election

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Until that happens, Voters must ALWAYS VOTE SERIOUSLY !

Those that do not even vote can still be hurt by the person they let get elected by not voting

Those that do vote, must carefully compare the promises and platforms of all the candidates and choose the one that best represents what they want. Who is closest, in total, of the one you want to represent you?

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PLEASE! VOTE CAREFULLY AND SERIOUSLY. EVERY VOTE COUNTS.

WE NEED BETTER VOTER TURNOUT ON OCTOBER 25 .... because ...

DAVENPORT DESERVES BETTER

Not our ward, but next door in Ward 19 they had some fireworks that prove debates aren't always boring: http://tinyurl.com/28yx2qa Example: Incumbent Chris Bolton got caught sending his campaign literature home with school children - bombshell dropped by Michael Sims. And just why is Mike Layton's signs including a vote for Chris Bolton too?

PUBLIC ASSETS? PUBLIC SAY !

TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT? School Boards, City, Province Not On the Same Page


We keep hearing this election that our city is in financial trouble... or not.
We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem... or not.
We have assets that the city should sell to get revenue... or not.

It's a confusing situation with extreme ideas being thrown out by desperate candidates wanting to make the news with the latest outrageous statements, at least in the race for mayor.

"Here's my great idea... yes it costs... but we'll just sell..(fill in the blank..Toronto Hydro, etc)."

What it does show is how truth gets distorted by personal persepective and the immediate and short term needs of those who might govern us. No one it seems is taking the longer view and realizing that the status quo in how we are governed needs to change to meet our far future needs.

Take the example of closing schools - like West Toronto, right across from where I live.

We have one taxpayer whose money goes to providing them - buildings, land, maintenance, staffing, etc. Yet who is in control? The Province ultimately, because education is a provincial responsibility. The Province allows for a democratically elected local ward government in the form of School Trustees who make up a board of control. That board is required by law to balance budgets and if it gets out of line, the Province can step in (and has) and does what it wants. Then we have the City, also under the control of the Province with seperate elected Councillors and Mayor. The Province has a lighter touch with city government, but still has the control and can punish or reward cities for meeting their agendas (just look at Transit funding issues).

In the real, physical world we still have the one taxpayer who finances the acquisition of land and infrastructure - like West Toronto. Yet, we have THREE governing bodies with an interest in the decisions that affect that single physical thing.

The Province wants to balance its budget and to get a good return on that thing.
The Scool Board wants to maximize use of schools, balance budgets and that means selling that thing.
The City wants to ensure that there is sufficient community space for increasing population densities and that means trying ti gain control of that thing.

THREE governments with different agendas competing for control of one thing.
... kind of like three hands in the one taxpayer's pocket in a way, isn't it?

Schools are unique. They are geographically and strategically placed in our communities so they are at the core of local neighbourhoods. They are built in such a way that they usually have significant green space surrounding a large, accessible structure that can accomodate large numbers of people. Often they are easily areached by public transit or are in walking distance to large residential areas. They are natural 'Community Hubs' as was the topic of a Social Planning conference that I attended just this past Friday.

Schools are extremely valuable assets that we must not misuse or dispose of without a tremendous amount of forethought - the kind that looks DECADES into the future and not just the next budget.

Despite the complexities of competing government powers and short term demands of budgets, we MUST save our schools for the children and communities of the future. All that is required is political will to change what we need to to make this happen. We owe it to our collective future.... because ...

DAVENPORT DESERVES BETTER !

Community Consultation Still Sucks in Ward 18

West Toronto closing holds a public meeting but no one is told ?

I live right across the street from West Toronto, have been to other meetings in which I dutifully filled out forms with my contact information, emails, etc. requesting to be kept apprised and notified of developments, yet I hear about a so-called "public meeting" a day after it occurred via someone else's 'tweets'? (Ana Bailao "Public Meeting about the future of West Toronto Collegiate Aug31" As usual, no notice in my mailbox (or any of my neighbours). This is how citizens feel disenfrachised and fed up with politicians who cannot communicate and show respect!

*Update* Email from Maria Rodrigues, our school trustee: She claims 8000 notices were distributed. There are briefing notes forthcoming. Staff recommendations are to sell to a co-terminus board and to move the West Education offices - something Maria said she did not support. Maria proposes a third option: to make West Toronto a "Program of Choice" school, along with adult continuing education and as a community hub for sports and other programs.
This all goes to the Board on NOVEMBER 10, 2010 at 5050 Yonge Street. Anyone who has questions or input can contact Maria at: Maria.Rodrigues@tdsb.on.ca


Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club Scandal Brewing ?

They (Who? the board alone?) have reversed their decision to open a facility at 45 Ernest Avenue. This comes after a long term lease expired at 21 Randolph, and after much community protest and promises of support by current city councillor Adam Giambrone (which included his executive assistant and 'heir-apparent' candidate, Kevin Beaulieu.)

A lot of anger and frustration is being vented on the Junction Triangle website: http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/ eg. "Kids Don't Matter?"

This while feel good news is being touted about successful fundraising? http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/869546--boys-and-girls-club-to-expand-after-raising-1-5-million

It's confusing to figure out just what's happened and who is at fault and the rumour mills are working overtime. From what I can tell, there is city (taxpayer) money in the project (at the very least loan guarantees), the local community there has strongly spoken out and asked for city councillor help, and those associated with Giambrone are scrambling to deflect criticism. There appears to be confusion and poor communication by the 16 member board of this (it seems) private organization? Why isn't this listed as a registered non-profit on the Canada Revenue website? Lots of questions here....

Their websites: http://www.dovercourtkids.com/junction-index.html
http://www.dovercourtkids.com/

WEST TORONTO C. I. FOR SALE ?

LAST (?) OF PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THE FUTURE OF WEST TORONTO : was held tonight, Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Just got back from an extremely well attended public meeting about the Toronto District School Board's plans for the future of West Toronto Collegiate (330 Lansdowne Avenue, just north of College Street). I estimated well over 200 people in attendance and the meeting was covered by Global TV, Now Magazine and Inside Toronto community news.

It seems that many people were made aware of the meeting just this morning, yet cared enough to show up on short notice. (Prior meetings were held in the fall of 2009 but were not as well attended)

Even though the predictable announcement was made that recommendations called for the school to be closed this August, the community gathered together to give a resounding "NO" to that intention. Candidates running for city council, the sitting councillor and the school trustee for the area (Maria Rodrigues) were unanimous in calling for the school to not be closed.

An impressive display by about 30 ESL students carrying signs protesting the closure opened the meeting. Many people talked about the importance of recognizing the need for adult education and continuing education and questioned why that did not seem to be a priority in the analysis and recommendations done by the board.

In a city as diverse as Toronto (180 languages) and a ward where under 40% of the people say their mother tongue is not English and about 24% have no high school education, using the facility for that purpose seems a no-brainer.

There were many questions asked by concerned parents about the immediate plans for their children's education. Most were unsatisfied with the answers given.

The school is a relatively new building (opened in 1972) and is recognized as having full access for the disabled, excellent pool, track and gym facilities, and well utilized 8.5 acre greenspace. The programs in place for special education are recognized as superlative.

There has been declining enrollment, as this is city-wide in many schools.

I have to wonder if this is a natural or engineered phenomenon. As housing stock is gentrified (turned into expensive housing and condos), the population ages and former families are forced to move out to the suburbs, we do see a blip of childless people. Yet, immigration is increasing and there will be new development in former industrial lands nearby. Does it not make sense that we could see a boom in demand for regular education classes in the area? Should educational facilities planning not be looking 20-30 years ahead, rather than responding to a short term budget crunch?

The question in my mind is what kind of community do we want here? Singles in big, dense condominiums or mixed housing that meets the needs of the broad, diverse community?

The kicker is that the school funding formula from the Mike Harris years has a peculiar way of looking at square foot usage: if you have music, arts or special programs, their use is deemed to be 'empty' - so no provincial funding. The Dalton McGuinty ("Education Premier ?") provincial government is acting slowly to revise the formula.

Yet the Toronto District School Board under Chris Spence appears to be acting with unseemly haste to force the process to close schools down and sell off assets to recoup funding gaps. This is hasty, short term thinking in my view. Once an asset is gone - it is gone, and the community will be worse off for it.

There was one recommedation (that was admitted to be outside the scope of the review process) which called for the property to be kept by the TDSB for use by the local community. What this means exactly is unclear as such a recommendation can be easily ignored by the terms of the review process in place. Smoke and mirrors?

How this will all play out is uncertain. Many in the community believe this a 'done deal', even though I was able to get the meeting leaders on record to say it is not.

Next step?

Fuzzy, but appears there will be a final-final chance for formal deputations to the TDSB:

Monday, April 12, 2010 at 5:00 pm at 5050 Yonge Street.

Here are some groups trying to mobilize the community for this important meeting:

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS http://saveschools.wordpress.com/

CUPE local 4400 http://www.cupe4400.org/static/staticview.cfm?topic=25

Trustee Maria Rodrigues http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/viewitem.asp?siteid=176&pageid=176&menuid=176

Lots of Local Issues Coming Up

I've spent several days just walking around the ward, talking to my neighbours, snapping cellphone pictures and generally just getting an up to date feel for what's happening in my local area. Nothing beats just walking around to find out what is really going on.

I've also been following the news about the city budget, the mayoral race and the ever present big city TTC issues.

What strikes me most is how our mainstream news producers like to beat stories to death and seem to set the agenda for what should be most talked about in the city. While this sometimes helps and is noble in intent to involve citizens, it more often than not deflects attention away from neighbourhood issues and perhaps even turns people off participating in the political process. (Witness the Adam Giambrone never-ending soap opera - is anyone tired of it yet?)

Here just a few of the really local things ward 18 voters need to be aware of:

• Dufferin Grove Park is in danger of being taken over by city bureaucrats and we may lose many of the really innovative, successful and much appreciated programs there. For a starter background, see The Toronto Star Sat. Feb 20, 2010 "Bureaucratic Meddling Puts Park's Magic At Risk" by Catherine Porter: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/768586--porter-bureaucratic-meddling-puts-park-s-magic-at-risk?bn=1 Or just visit the park and see the "magic" for yourselves. Or check out the wonderful park website and newsletter: http://www.dufferinpark.ca/home/wiki/wiki.php

• West Toronto Collegiate Institute secondary school to be CLOSED ! Likely this September, 2010. This is a gorgeous building right across from where I live and is on land next to the small MacGregor Park near College/Lansdowne. For some background on this, see: Closing West Toronto Collegiate Would Be A Crime http://www.thelittleeducationreport.com/Closingwest.html or the junctioneer story: http://breakingprojects.com/junctioneer/2009/09/28/west-toronto-collegiate-instituteto-be-closed-and-land-sold/ You will no doubt be seeing the SAVE OUR SCHOOLS signs popping up everywhere. What's at issue is that this is public taxpayer land owned by a cash-strapped school board that could very well end up being turned into a gentrified privately developed condo.

• CATS, CATS, CATS - Have you noticed how many stray and abandoned cats we have in our back alleys, back yards and industrial areas? There is an excellent documentary film called CAT CITY by Justine Pimlott that really tells the story well. (You can see a short trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9x1sOzaYU0 or check out the Facebook page about it ). There are TENS OF THOUSANDS of cats roaming our city, due primarily to irresponsible owners who do not spay or neuter pets then abandon or lose them. It is a crisis our city council is ignoring. We must have a city response: bylaw to require spay-neuter of all pets, the only exception being certified bona fide breeders. We need more low cost spay neuter clinics, in downtrown Toronto.

• THE BUDGET and TAXES and USER FEES: This is not just a big city issue. a $9.2 BILLION budget can hide a lot of nasty suprises for citizens. TTC, Police, Library and Board of Health are getting increases. Property taxes go up 4% and there are increases to user fees and a host of hidden charges. Some background here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-budget-fails-to-hold-the-line-on-property-tax/article1469658/ Still time for changes to be made as the public is invited to comment March 1 and 2 (you can email councillors, the Mayor or attend and make a deputation Here is the city website about the budget: http://www.toronto.ca/budget2010/index.htm ). The final budget will be debated and passed by City Councl on April 15, 16. Get involved. It WILL affect YOU!

Stay tuned for more blog posts. I intend to develop a real platform of issues that voters can debate and decide upon. Issues, not spin is my promise and intent. Let's take local democracy to heart and decide our own future, together. No more self-centered or complacent leaders who tell us what to do.

DAVENPORT DESERVES BETTER