Condo development key issue in Ward 23
admin | Monday, September 27th, 2010 | 4 Comments »Although Ward 23 is hardly a hotbed of political unrest, last year Katzman and other condominium owners around Yonge Street came together to form the Yonge Corridor Condominium Association (YCCA).More than 30 condo buildings have joined the group, which provides a united voice for Yonge-area condo owners on issues such as traffic, taxes, development, waste collection and parks.
“We’re condo city,” Katzman said. “In our opinion, more or less a moratorium should be set up until infrastructure can catch up.”
Traffic congestion is a major concern for the YCCA.
“God forbid if there is a major disaster in our area. How would an ambulance or fire truck get through traffic to its destination?” Katzman said.
While he is frustrated development is creating headaches for downtown North York residents, Katzman doesn’t blame incumbent Councillor John Filion for the problems.
In fact, he praised Filion’s ongoing criticism of the Ontario Municipal Board, which has a tendency to approve developments turned down by council. Katzman even plans to work on the councillor’s re-election campaign.
“I’m satisfied (with Filion). He tries his best but he has two other governments (provincial and federal) to fight,” he said.
Filion describes himself as a councillor who has fought development as much as possible but has no authority to freeze new condo buildings along Yonge.
Condos being built now are a result of the city’s official plan passed 20 years ago, which Filion called a pro-development document to which he raised many objections.
His focus now is to scale back developments as much as possible, mitigate traffic snarls and ensure community facilities are available.
“The main issue in Willowdale for most people is preserving it and enhancing it as a livable community. That is what I stand for and why I keep getting elected,” he said.
“My goal is to scale (development) back as much as possible and minimize the traffic as much as possible and squeeze as much money (in development fees) as possible for community projects. I’m not their (developers’) favourite politician, you could say.”
The veteran Willowdale councillor faces four contenders in this municipal election.
Peter Clarke, Charles Sutherland, Dusan Kralik and John Whyte are all trying to unseat Filion on Oct. 25.
Clarke, who lives outside the ward but intends to move to the community when his wife immigrates to Canada, blames Filion for being part of a council that has allowed the city budget to increase unchecked over the last few years.
Clarke is proposing a multi-point platform that includes capping spending and taxes to the rate of inflation, cutting councillors’ salaries by 25 per cent, rescinding the 12-month “golden” severance package for councillors, limiting councillors to serving two terms, implementing random drug testing for councillors and city staff and redeploying members of the Toronto police force’s mounted unit to other duties.
“I would agree (my platform) is mostly cost-cutting and getting rid of waste. As you know, we have an unprecedented financial crisis at the city. It is not hard for anyone to relate to that,” Clarke said.
“I believe I have the best platform out there. I believe the incumbent has shown he has not done the best job for the people. Clearly, we’re in a fiscal crisis.”
Kralik complained community centres in Toronto are not keeping pace with those in communities surrounding the city. He’s also concerned Toronto is no longer the “clean and beautiful” city it once was.
Whyte is running on a pro-development platform, saying that while he won’t rubberstamp proposals, he wants to fast-track residential and employment developments that would benefit the community.
He also promises to be a councillor more responsive to residents, saying he would do his best to personally discuss issues with residents.
Sutherland could not be reached for comment.
The concerns of Yonge-area condo residents are not the only issues being talked about by Ward 23 residents.
Speaking over the back fence of Susan Stalker’s townhouse at Willowdale and Byng avenues, Stalker, Opal Marie Fuller and Pat Monzon are worried about crime, rats and mould in their Toronto Community Housing development, concerns that they can’t get anyone to listen to.
“Slum landlord is what they are,” Monzon said.
The neighbours would love to see more mentorship and recognition programs for youth.
“Teens have nothing to do, they just get into drugs,” Fuller said.
“Recognize the achievements of kids who make it,” added Stalker, who supports Filion. “Have a mentorship program so these kids don’t get lost in the dark.”
Filion argues such programs exist if people want to take advantage of them.
Painting her front door on Charlton Boulevard near Yonge and Finch Avenue, business professor Jacqueline Cook would like city officials to focus on making Toronto a truly world-class city by providing things like better transit.
She is also sick of divisive politics played out at city hall.
“I would like to see a city council that can work together,” she said.
Filion agreed the next term of council could be “a battleground.”
- Lisa Queen
If Mel Katzman wants a freeze on jobs, the economy and condominium developments now that he has his condo home built in North York Willowdale Ward 23 then perhaps he should have run for council.
Any proposed development that lacked the required infrastructure and was not consistent with the city’s existing official plan for the community such a development already could not proceed under the city’s planning process.
With our city’s current ongoing financial problems and he believes trying ones best is by voting to increase our city’s spending by 4% and then having to borrow money which increases our taxpayers debt which will have to be passed on to our children’s children I for one am happy to have him assisting his 20 year incumbent councillor’s re-election campaign and not mine.
Perhaps he also forgot that for the past 8 years his incumbent friend has approved spending increases of 261% over the rate of inflation for the same corresponding period of time and also VOTED YES to further INCREASE SPENDING by $188.2 Million in 2010 against more prudent fellow councillors like Ford for some unnecessary and questionable expenses during our city’s financial crisis.
Mr. Katzman’s 20 year incumbent friend also ABSTAINED from VOTING against SPENDING $87.1 Million of your money while our community and city remains in a financial crisis.
Such actions are not the best nor even close to being good for the taxpayers of North York, Willowdale Ward 23 or any other community throughout the city, in my humble opinion.
http://www.peterclarketoronto.com
Dear Mr. Clarke,
I am very happy that you responded to my interview published in the North York Mirror.
Your comments have assured me that I am backing the correct candidate. In Canada one has the freedom of choice of a candidate and the freedom of choice of an opinion and above all to discuss differences and come to a common solution. Your comments shows that you are “Development Friendly”, something Ward 23 doesn’t need at the present time. How can one who doesn’t live in our area, which I have for 55 years of my happily married life, know what the residents require to improve their quality of life. This is very familiar to the O.M.B.. No member lives in my area yet makes decisions for our community. You talk about the infrastructure being consistent with the official plan. I would be very happy if that was the case but it seems that developers apply to the O.M.B. and have been allowed to change height and density. I was taught in my profession before making a diagnoses one must take a very exceptional case history, adequate tests and research. I see you have done none of the above.
McGuinty in his election platform promised O.M.B. reform. I refer you to a paper written by Steven J. O’Melia (December 2005) of Miller Thomson, Barrister & Solicitors. The O.M.B. has existed substantially in its current form since 1906. The O.M.B. posses an authority that is unique in this country and this the reason people and groups are dissatisfied with the planning process in Ontario.They have become larger players in making decisions that control planning and development. One learns that after residents convince a municipal council to refuse a development proposal after extensive public process it is then disregarded by the O.M.B..
I would like to refer you to Growth Plan for Greater Golden Horseshoe, Exhibit 1-1: It is the Provincial responsibility to maintain the 401-Yonge interchange which studies done by iTrans in 2005 and 2010 show that it is inadequate and contributes to the traffic gridlock. The Ontario Government is committed to spend $8.3B on infrastructure over 5 years to support the Plan to Grow. NYCC was one of the 5 centres in the GTA identified in this plan for strategic intensification. The Ontario Government doesn’t have your opinion that infrastructure has kept up with development. In regards to JOBS, $8.3B would sure create a framework for improved roads, sewage, water, and improved traffic conditions, which would give many the opportunity of work.
I would appreciate your comments after you have lived a few years in our Ward before making comments on my quality of life. I think I am supporting the right candidate. One should be more versed in all details confronting homeowners and condo owners before running for office. Those that criticize should not interfere with those that satisfy their residents needs for over 20 years. Filion must be doing something right.
As far as me running for council, for fifty eight years I did what I could do best, maybe you should reconsider running for council and do what you do best.
Dr. Mel Katzman
Decision Time, Stop Reckless Spending by Incumbent Councillors or Burden our Children with Tax Debt
At the beginning of this long campaign a good friend of mine questioned why get involved when it comes to politics? This set me back a bit.
However when one considers that 66% of the resident taxpayers did NOT vote in our municipal election of 2006 and then we all sat back and watched as their reckless spending was swept up to new heights unprecedented in Toronto’s history it became obvious that something had to change before our community and city collapsed under an umbrella of debt.
So here we are at the last few days prior to the most crucial vote in our city’s history. We have seen personal attacks by the main stream media against candidates who have been trying for years to put and end to the reckless spending and outright arrogant behaviour by incumbent councillors.
And the voters have been reminding me that candidates who cannot control the pennies will never have the ability to manage millions of dollars. Voters are the ones who have witnessed the E Health scandal and the reckless spending by 19 year career incumbent councillors which has caused our city’s current fiscal crisis and depleted our community and city reserve funds.
Rob Ford has been effective in his personal efforts and attempts in controlling and proposals to curb the chronic outrageous spending habits of his fellow councillors and his popularity unlike that of Georges in my opinion will stand the test of time.
It is not me, nor the media, special interest groups or lobbyists who will decide our new mayor. The taxpaying voters of Toronto will decide that for all of us on Oct. 25.
The favorite question asked of me as a candidate for your councillor has been, what key issues define your campaign platform? And what specifically do you plan to do for your ward, if elected?
Key issues define Peter Clarke’s campaign platform. The 20 proposals for 2010.
1. Rescind the vehicle and land taxes
2. Rescind the golden severance package incumbents gave themselves
3. Stop 19 years of reckless and arrogant spending of incumbent councillors
4. Take the control of the TTC out of council and off the backs of only Toronto tax payers
5. One transit authority for all the GTA and funded by 20% of existing gasoline and diesel taxes
6. Reduce expenses and salaries of councillors by 6% per year for 4 years
7. Stop the Chicago style shake down politics which adds tens of thousands of dollars to the purchase price of a condo
8. Work with both residents and builders to ensure openness and transparency
9. Salary freeze on all senior bureaucrats, a councillor has to manage city hall not be led by city hall for 19 years
10. A term limit of 8 years for councillors and mayor
11. Cap all spending increases to rate of inflation and zero based budgeting process
12. Cap residential and business taxes increases to rate of inflation and no more
13. Councillor must pay for their own legal fees not the taxpayers
14. All city contract must be tendered and open to non union as well as union contractors and service providers
15. Reduce size of council from 44 to 22 members in line with provincial riding’s for our city
16. Lower mileage benefit rate from .52 cents per km to standard rate of .35 cents
17. Random drug testing for all councillors and all city employees
18. Cyclists and scooters be permitted to utilize reserve bus lanes during rush hours
19. Consult with all city employees for their costs saving measures to help our city get out of the fiscal mess
20. Openness, transparency and fiscal responsibility through a forensic audit of all service and departments
Your TAXES, One CITY, Your VOTE, our FINANCIAL FUTURE TOGETHER on Oct. 25, Peter CLARKE.
On Monday October 25, please exercise your individual right and civic duty by voting for the candidate of your choice. Thanks, Peter CLARKE
I’m voting Peter Clarke!! Fillion needs to find a real job