WEBSITE: peterclarketoronto.com

EMAIL: peterclarke2010@gmail.com

——————————————————————-

1. What key issues define your campaign platform?
Peter Clarke believes that the voters have a clear choice between his new platform of controlled spending, openness and transparency or continue with the failed policies of the past 12 to 23 years of borrow, spend and new taxes.
1. Cap spending and taxes to the rate of inflation and zero-based budgeting for all services, departments and programs as of 2011.
2. Salary and expense reduction of 25 per cent for councillors – a savings of $9,512,000  to taxpayers over the current four-year term of office.
3. Rescind councillors’ 12-month golden severance package. This would save taxpayers a further $5,405,200.
4. One transit authority for Toronto and GTA along with taking control of the TTC away from council and off the backs of renters, homeowners and condo owners.
5. Cyclists use reserved bus lanes and HOV corridors.

2. Why are you the best candidate for this position?
All people including candidates are created equal and equally imperfect. The failed policies of council endorsed by incumbents for the past 15 to 23 years resulted in a fiscal crisis which clearly shows incumbents are not the best candidates for the taxpaying public. Their out-of-control spending can no longer be tolerated or afforded by taxpayers. Over this past 10 years council’s spending increased 261 per cent over inflation causing a fiscal crisis of unprecedented proportions. The majority of taxpayers realize that this behavior by council and the incumbent has not been in the best interest of the taxpaying public. I believe my proposals for transit, controlled spending and leadership roll by reducing salaries and expenses of councillors combined with rescinding their golden benefit severance package all which would save taxpayers over $8.1 million the first year is the best proposals to date offered by any candidate or incumbent councillor.

3. What specifically do you plan to do for your ward, if elected?
North York Ward 23 is already one of the best places to live, work and commute to the downtown city core. Like most communities throughout Toronto redevelopment still exists and offers concerns and opportunities which must be individually addressed by the community. Spending by incumbent councillors has left the city purse  empty and with a fiscal crisis which affects all wards. Councillors must propose reductions and controlled spending. All mandated services and programs must be fully paid for by those governments mandating them and if not then we must consider uploading them back to those demanding them.

4. Please provide details on your personal bio.
Peter has been a resident of North York, Willowdale, Scarborough and Toronto as a homeowner, renter and business owner since 1969. Peter Clarke has a 35-year background in economics and business is CEO of Ellis Clarke International and one if the founders. Peter is married to Tatiana Toledo, a beautifully intelligent women and mother with her master’s degree in education and a Venezuelan national. Peter has a detailed campaign mission platform which outlines among others proposals for controlled spending and a funding option for transit. Please visit and read all his 10 for 2010 plus at www.peterclarketoronto.com

5. Who do you plan to support for mayor?
At this stage I am still undecided, but with our city in a fiscal crisis caused by the outgoing mayor and his incumbent supporters by their uncontrolled chronic spending over the past 10 years, I would most definitely be leaning to those candidates who understand and have understood that spending must be brought under control and all services or programs mandated by other levels of government must be fully funded by those who have mandated them. For me as a candidate for councillor, if we are to be leaders and not just followers then spending cuts in salaries, expenses and rescinding the one year golden severance benefits   package for councillors is a must and would immediately save the taxpayers $8.1 million. And I have not heard yet one mayoralty candidate who supports this proposal but I am still hopeful. Whomever a majority of the voters decide will be our mayor, I am quite confident that as a councillor I would be pleased to work with him or her on the executive to get the city back on the right track of fiscal responsibility, through openness transparency and controlled spending at no greater than the rate of inflation over the next four years.