Not A Dime More

The City of Toronto was on the verge of voting on new revenue (read tax) tools today that would have hit new home purchasers with a new land transfer tax of 2 percent. That would have been on top of the 2 percent land transfer tax already payable to the Province upon the purchase of a home. In the city it would add around $4,000 bucks to the upfront cost of home ownership. This money is needed says Mayor Miller, to make Toronto a "great city". Fortunately for us, some councillors saw the light of day and have deferred this vote until after the Provincial election in October. Should be a good one. Premier McGuinty, watch out, the trap has been set. It was after all, Premier McGuinty that bestowed upon our "great" city Mayor, the power to tax beyond the normal property tax and user fees. The other revenue tool discussed was an extra $60 bucks a vehicle per year for city residents.

Might I offer some suggestions for our councillors. If they want us (home buyers, not tenants) to pay more tax it would be incumbent upon them to maybe tighten their belts somewhat and/or spend our money wisely. A few things come to mind immediately, councillors get free transit passes, free snacks and coffee, free golf passes, free passes to the Zoo and free parking. I don't know of a single corporate employer that offers those perks do you? This is on top of the $80,000 plus salary and over $50,000 yearly office expenses...they can't buy their own blinking coffee!

This all comes on the heels of the great garbage caper. This one is really cute...we are all forced to throw away our garbage cans (to the landfill), and are being forced by the city to buy new ones. They come in four sizes with the smallest to be free. The other three sizes will cost dearly, but no, it's not a tax. The small free one holds one green garbage bag which will be picked up once every two weeks. So over the last few years we have gone from 4 bags a week to 6 bags every two weeks to one bag every two weeks. All this for yearly tax increases of over 3 percent. Even with all the recycling and composting I do, it will be difficult. But since I am adamant the the city is not getting another dime from me, I will look into buying a small compactor.

This is what I do to reduce my garbage...

Compost



Recycle



Our City Composting Program



This green bin takes the stuff my composter won't such as meat scraps, diapers, Kleenex, paper towel just to name a few.

Maybe it's time our city boys and girls take a good look at themselves and figure out where they can reduce before they ask us poor denizens to take any more hits. Judging by the turnout at today's vote meeting, it looks like the citizens of Toronto might have had enough, I sure hope so, I know I have.

Oh yes, one other thing, stop buying theatres, soccer stadiums and other unimportant stuff.