Ana Bailao, Budgets, TTC and THE Funeral

Ana Bailao: Promise Made, Promise Kept

Motion Passes to Bring Back Parking on Dundas West
“My motion to bring back parking on Dundas passed unanimously at 8:47pm,” Bailao announced on Twitter on Tuesday night. (referring to her first meeting of Toronto and East6 York Community Council. Seems room was packed with civic engagement! Great!
Recommendation will go to full council for approval soon and should be a slam dunk. Thanks Ana.

THE CITY BUDGET !

Public Consultation on Budget TONIGHT !!!
Budget Sub-Committee for Etobicoke York, and Toronto and East York Consultation will be meeting Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at the EAST YORK CIVIC CENTRE Council Chamber at 6:00pm
* Note the location * 850 Coxwell Avenue ·  North-west corner of Coxwell Avenue and Mortimer Avenue Toronto ON M4C 5R1

Councillor Mike Del Grande (Chair), Councillor Michelle Berardinetti, Councillor Chin Lee hosting.
Contact (you would have had to9 register to make 5 minute in person deputation)
Merle MacDonald   10th floor, West Tower, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West. Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
email: buc@toronto.ca   phone: 416-392-7340 fax: 416-392-1879

This will be pretty well the ONLY chance for the public in ward 18 to have any impact on the budget, although you could still send suggestions, ideas, concerns to our City Councillor Ana Bailao
(but she is but 1 of 45 votes on Council)

* Side Note: I had registered to make deputation in person, but had a slip and fall inhjury so I am hobbling about. Not surte if I will be able to make it.

The TTC - Planned Service Cuts
Do any of these proposed cuts affect YOU? If so, speak up, here's your chance:


TTC Public Meetings on Proposed Route Changes


Proposed route changes being considered for implementation in May 2011 would reallocate service, during some times of the week, from bus routes which have low ridership. These changes are required to free up resources to increase service on routes where it is needed most due to record-level ridership.

Four public meetings will be held to provide information on the routes which are proposed for reallocation and alternatives to those routes, and to obtain feedback from customers (these venues have barrier-free access):


Toronto area meeting =  •Monday, January 24, 2011, 7:00pm to 9:00pm - Metro Hall, Room 308/309, 55 John Street at King Street; direct access from St Andrew Station.

For those unable to attend any of these meetings, but wish to provide comment, go to TTC Service Complaint/Suggestion Form. Weblink click here


The public can also call the TTC at 416-393-3030, Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm, or can contact their City Councillor.
........................

Proposed Route Changes


5 AVENUE RD – No service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
61 AVENUE RD NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
6 BAY – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.
9 BELLAMY – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
8 BROADVIEW – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
120 CALVINGTON – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday. No service on Sundays and holidays.
20 CLIFFSIDE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
42 CUMMER – No service east of Kennedy Road after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service east of Kennedy Road on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
127 DAVENPORT – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
105 DUFFERIN NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
26 DUPONT – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.
32 EGLINTON WEST – No 32D (Eglinton West Stn-Jane & Emmett) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No 32D (Eglinton West Stn-Jane & Emmett) service after 7:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. No 32A (Eglinton Stn-Renforth & Skymark) service west of Renforth on Saturdays.
15 EVANS – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
33 FOREST HILL – No service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
135 GERRARD – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
14 GLENCAIRN – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.
122 GRAYDON HALL – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.
169 HUNTINGWOOD – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays. No service on Sundays and holidays.
110 ISLINGTON SOUTH – No service on Horner Avenue or Browns Line to Long Branch Loop after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
43 KENNEDY – No 43B (Kennedy Stn-Scarborough Centre Stn via Progress) service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No 43B (Kennedy Stn-Scarborough Centre Stn via Progress) service on Sundays and holidays.
30 LAMBTON – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
162 LAWRENCE-DONWAY – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.
56 LEASIDE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. No service west of Laird Drive to Eglinton Station Sunday/holiday daytime.
51 LESLIE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
59 MAPLE LEAF – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
130 MIDDLEFIELD – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.
132 MILNER – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
116 MORNINGSIDE – No 116A/E (Kennedy Stn-UofT Scarborough Express/Conlins) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No 116A/E (Kennedy Stn-UofT Scarborough Express/Conlins)service on Saturday, Sundays, and holidays.
62 MORTIMER – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
74 MT PLEASANT – No service after 7:00 p.m., every day.
103 MT PLEASANT NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
72 PAPE – No 72A service south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners and Union Station after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday, September-May. No 72A service south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners and Union Station after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays, September-May.
101 PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK – No service, September-May.
167 PHARMACY NORTH – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.
80 QUEENSWAY – No off peak service east of Humber Loop, every day. No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
48 RATHBURN – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
73 ROYAL YORK – No 73B (Royal York Stn-Eglinton & La Rose) service after 7:00 p.m., every day.
76 ROYAL YORK SOUTH – No 76B (Royal York Stn-Queensway & Grand Ave) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No 76B (Royal York Stn-Queensway & Grand Ave) service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
78 ST ANDREWS – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
86 SCARBOROUGH – No off peak 86D (Kennedy Stn-Beechgrove via Lawrence) service. Service on 86D (Kennedy Stn-Beechgrove via Lawrence) to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.
115 SILVER HILLS – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.
60 STEELES WEST – No off peak service west of Martin Grove to Highway 27. Service west of Martin Grove to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.
124 SUNNYBROOK – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
55 WARREN PARK – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
94 WELLESLEY – No service west of Wellesley Station after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
112 WEST MALL – No 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) service north of Eglinton Avenue after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays. No 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) service north of Eglinton Avenue after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.
98 WILLOWDALE-SENLAC – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays. No service east of Sheppard-Yonge Station, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
96 WILSON – No 96C/F off peak service to Tandridge Crescent or Thistle Down Boulevard. Service on 96C (York Mills Stn-Tandridge & Thistle Down via Albion) to Tandridge Crescent or Thistle Down Boulevard to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

SGT. RYAN RUSSELL, Toronto Police Services Funeral

Sights from the Funeral Procession
Why Police Mourn en masse for Slain Cops
A City in Mourning
Now magazine article

It is indeed tragic that someone doing service to keep the city safe loses his life in the line of duty.

However, some reading between the lines of some reports, particularly the last one listed above, have dire overtones. Witness this from midway through the story:

"Having weathered the fallout from the G20 arrests last June, some welcomed the funeral as a chance to show loyalty to the Toronto Police Service. “There’s an element of society armed with body piercings, video phones and lawyers with no moral compass who made it their business to go on a vendetta against the police, especially since the G20,” Mr. Opher told me. “The silver lining of this tragedy is that it gives me and the other 98% the opportunity to express our feelings and show the police that we respect, honour and love them.”

I certainly hope no one thinks this puts an end to the terrible G20 civil rights violations by some police last summer.

In my opinion, these two events are totally unrelated.

* Update: Protestor at a Funeral? Yes it was tasteless, but not illegal. His being arrested is proof of police state mentality it seems. They probably set him up for a good civil suit against the police/city. sigh
* Update2: Torontoist John Lorinc has a well thought out article about the en masse funeral phenomenon here
* Update3: Video reminnder of the culture of G20 is here

Where Is Ward 18 Constituency Office?

New Councillors Face Obstacles Getting Up to Speed

Since City Council cut office budgets for councillors from $50,450 down to $30,000 I have noticed several innovative councikllors like Gord Perks and Josh Matlow looking into getting the okay to book space at Toronto Public Libraries as a way to be available to their constituents. No more centrally located, disabled access in ward constituency offices?

Look at Adam Giambrone's past expenses (public record) he paid about $800 a month for the Margueretta/College location.

What is Ana Bailao doing?
...

Online Tool to Follow Votes, Attendance, expenses:

Very nice to see: The public can look at the voting and attendence records of their councillors right HERE
(can also see campaign expenses)
...

Who Owns Constituency Files?

On another note, I've also heard and now see in the papers (CBC news) that they find literally empty offices with no records of issues dealt with by their predecessors.

I am sure that its not just Kristyn Wong-Tam who has found no help from former councillor Kyle Rae, or Mary Margaret McMahon who has gotten the cold shoulder from Sandra Bussin in the Beaches.

How many think NDPer Adam Giambrone left anything for Liberal Ana Bailao to find in her office?
*Update: rbmorra had tweeted to @Kristynwongtam This is rich when your EA (Kevin Beaulieu) did the same thing for the outgoing ward18 councillor (Adam Giambrone)
... Not sure if this is true as I think Kevin had to resign from being Adam's EA during the election. But I still suspect Adam pulled a Kyle Rae on Ana too.

Such materials should be designated as public records and protected!

UPDATE: COMMUNITY COUNCIL TO MEET JAN 18

Toronto and East York Community Council (includes ward18) will be meeting on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 9:30 am at City Hall. This is where they consider and recommend on truly local issues like:
Parking, closing roads, liquor licences, special exemptions, rezoning, tree removals, etc etc

Whatever they do happens and some things are strongly recommended to city council and get passed.

*** For example, the hot button issue of Dundas Parking will be considered (Item T3.58)

They will also at this meeting decide on who will be on the varios BIA's (Like Spiro, the strip club owner,  for Bloordale Village)

Full details: agendas, committee membership, minutes, decisions can be found HERE

If you have something you want to suggest or bring up, this is the place to do it.

Truly effective democracies have local involvement between elections and not just during a campaign every 4 years.

Ana Bailao Leads By Following?

Ana Bailao Jumps on Platform Bandwagons - AFTER THE FACT

1. Dundas West BIA PARKING Issue:

See Open file story "Bailao Wants More Parking for Ward 18" http://tinyurl.com/2dv3fdk

In my recollection, the taking away of parking from the Dundas West BIA happened a LONG time ago and has been a hot issue since. It was raised at the very first candidates' debate in the ward on May 18, when that BIA acknowledged that they had supported incumbent councillor Adam Giambrone but (like so many of us) had lost faith in him over time. Answering a question about what candidates would do about it if elected, Ana dodged the question, only saying that she knew they had lost 42% of their parking, that businesses had lost money and that it was difficult for people to stop and pickup cakes because they get tiocketed.

Why didn't Ana take the position then that she espouses now? Opening her campaign office in that area, with this Sept 18 announcement smacks of OPPORTUNISM in my view.

(To be fair, most candidates waffled a little on the question, Ken Wood (me) stated that the immediate solution is for the city to compensate businesses for the disruption; Kevin Beaulieu said we shouldn't punish streetcar riders; Hema Vyas agreed consultation was lacking; Kirk Russell said grants, a street festival, sidewalk improvements would help - but at least Kirk committed to restoring Dundas parking - put it on his website long ago.)

2. "Better Transit for your $3" issue:

Got the (hmmm... Hema Vyas' campaign colour?) - YELLOW - flyer proclaiming Ana will improve transit and give 'the best service'.

In it, Ana promises no more St. Clair boondoggles...push for federal/provincial fair share funding...go with the PRESTO fare system (of course! Ana IS a Liberal!)...Bring back street parking on Dundas...bike lanes...electric trains...environment friendly vehicles... In short - everything everybody's been saying for a long, long time. Kind of like motherhood and apple pie now, isn't it?

Well I guess Ana's feeling safe that she's the frontrunner now and will only risk committing to things everyone else has already. Doesn't that tell the voters how she will stand up for us in city council? Act only when others have already agreed?

I don't really know Ana personally, and I am left with relying on many of the same past experiences. A party loyalist who acts after the fact, and joins the herd rather than leads.

EVery time I tyhink of Ana the phrase 'Ana the Opportunist' comes to mind.

Voters: please choose wisely. ONE VOTE, ONE FUTURE.
Make sure its the future you want..... because....

Davenport Deserves Better !