What Fools We Mortals Be – Toronto’s New mayor, Rob Ford.

American style Tea Party politician andAi??Toronto’s new mayor Rob Ford, is taking the TTC back 50 years or more by forcing the TTC to build new subways, instead of much cheaper light rail. Ford is just mimicking the same bleat that AmericanAi??politicos use, the “war on the car” andAi??has used itAi??with great effectiveness, but what Mr. Ford has done, is toAi??declare warAi??on the taxpayer, with massive new taxes and probably new car taxes, levies and feesAi??needed to pay for hugely expensive new subway construction.

Rob Ford has all the traits of a political buffoonAi??who has rode the wave of public discontent, combinedAi??with generous financial help,Ai??into public office. It is apparent thatAi??Ford’s financial backers are rubber on asphalt types who do not want affordable public transit, especially when said transit competes directly with the car. Modern light rail, when built right,Ai??has a proven ability in providing an affordable alternative to the car, something that much more expensive subways do not. With LRT a much larger transit network can be created, providing the customer easier access. With subways and metros in general, longer spacing between stations and limited routes, tend to deter new ridership. Subways or elevated metros are only built if ridership on a transit route warrants such a costly expenditure.

Enter Rob Ford, who believes he is a transit expert, as all politicians seem to doAi??and proclaims that no LRT for Toronto and promises the abandonment of the famous Toronto streetcar system and for what reason for his politicalAi??castration of public transport?

ai???War on the car is overai??i??: Ford moves transit underground

December 01, 2010

Paul Moloney

The $8 billion Transit City light rail plan championed by the former mayor David Miller ai??i?? years in the making and with construction underway ai??i?? is ai???overai???, Mayor Rob Ford declared on his first morning on the job.

Ford made the remarks while being mobbed by reporters Wednesday morning as he emerged from his new office to go downstairs to the cafeteria.

Ford said he met at around 7 a.m. with Toronto Transit Commission chief general manager Gary Webster to emphasize that subways are preferable to the 120-kilometres of streetcar routes laid out by Miller.

ai???We just had a meeting about subways,ai??? Ford said regarding his chat with Webster.

ai???I just wanted to make it quite clear that he understood that Transit Cityai??i??s over and the war on the car is over, and all new subway expansion is going underground. And thatai??i??s pretty well it,ai??? Ford said.

ai???I just told him that everything moving forward is underground. And he accepted that. And I look forward to working with him.ai???

Ford, who wants to build a subway to the Scarborough Town Centre, said he didnai??i??t specifically insist that ongoing work on the new Sheppard light rail line be stopped.

ai???No, I just told him whatever weai??i??re doing is going underground, so weai??i??re going to build subways. I was elected on that mandate, and Iai??i??m going to deliver my promises to the taxpayers that subways will be built in the city.ai???

Ford said he has yet to speak to Premier Dalton McGuinty, whose provincial government has put up most of the money for Transit City.

The new mayor did indicate he would like to see light rail money diverted underground.

ai???I look forward to meeting with Mr. McGuinty about the funding with respect to subways,ai??? he said. ai???Again, Iai??i??m going to talk to Mr. McGuinty and weai??i??ll take it from there. Iai??i??m trying to set something up as soon as possible.

Ford was non-committal when asked who will be responsible for the money already spent if the light rail plan is scrapped. The Ontario government says it has so far spent about $130 million and signed contracts worth $1.3 billion.

Ottawa is contributing $330 million for the Sheppard line, about one-third of its cost. The province has said it will cover the rest of Transit Cityai??i??s $8.15 billion bill ai??i?? for Sheppard, a Finch light rail line, an Eglinton crosstown route, and conversion of Scarboroughai??i??s aging rapid transit line to light rail.

ai???Again, Iai??i??m going to deal with the province with respect to that and take it from there,ai??? Ford said.

The mayorai??i??s power to act unilaterally was, however, quickly questioned. City council as a whole approved Transit City and council as a whole would have to agree to kill it.

ai???I think itai??i??s premature,ai??? rookie Councillor Josh Matlow said of Fordai??i??s pronouncement. ai???I believe that council should have an opportunity for discussion about public transit in this city ai??i?? transit affects everyone in every corner of the city and there are millions of tax dollars at stake.ai??? There are several council meetings scheduled for next week but traditionally they are just ceremonial. It is not clear if any motions will be introduced.

Matlow (Ward 22, St. Paulai??i??s) acknowledged Ford was elected with a large mandate promising a subway plan, rather than Transit City, and wants to people to know ai???thereai??i??s a new sheriff in town.

ai???But many councillors were elected with large mandates supporting Transit City ai??i?? letai??i??s not invalidate those elections. We need a responsible, thoughtful discussion.ai???

Webster, after emerging from his early-morning meeting with Ford, told reporters: ai???The plan we have in place was put together with a lot of thought and we supported it and we do support the plan as a good transportation plan.

ai???The mayor is saying ai???Fine, but Iai??i??m looking at a new plan.ai??i??ai???

Webster said provincially funded work by the TTC will continue on a Sheppard Ave. underpass at the Agincourt GO Station, noting it would happen whether a subway or light rail line goes there.

Webster said he was directed to go back to Ford with a new plan, which could take up to six weeks.

At noon in Nathan Phillips Square, a few dozen protesters from groups including the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty huddled in cold drizzle in front of a banner stating: ai???Rob Fordai??i??s gravy train will just feed the pigs.ai???

Lisa Schofield of OCAP said the protesters are demanding changes to the way welfare is administered, the elimination of the waiting list for subsidized housing and better public transit for the poor.

ai???As (Ford) is cutting Transit City, heai??i??s also going to be cutting services to poor and working-class people,ai??? Schofield told reporters.

ai???Our biggest fear is a (former premier Mike) Harris-style era in this city, which we can all be terrified of, quite frankly.ai???