Speaking My Truth at City Hall

The view of Toronto City Hall outside of the public consultations for the City's 2012 Budget.  That crowd on the left is watching a Catholic elementary school band perform "Frosty The Snowman." 

I signed up to share my thoughts on Mayor Rob Ford's proposed 2012 city budget yesterday (Tuesday) at the Budget Committee's public consultations.  I was 45th on a list of 348 Torontonians hoping to speak and according to last night's 11 p.m. news broadcasts, there are 250 or so presenters left to go on Wednesday. 

It's sad that the process has taken a step back from last year, when Ford and the gang held four consultations over two evenings at civic centres in East York, North York, York and Scarborough.  Trying to squeeze 300-plus citizens and their views into tiny Committee Room 1 over two days is not realistic, and proves that the Ford administration is not as interested in hearing from their constituents as they claim.

Chair of the City Council Budget Committee, Councillor Mike Del Grande, the touchiest politician ever (I call him Mike Del Grouch LOL).  He kept complaining that if people kept going over their time and councillors kept questioning every speaker, they'd never get to most of the 348 people on the list.  Councillor Shelley Carroll asked the next presenter if maybe the Budget Committee shouldn't have drafted a budget so terrible as to attract over 300 speakers.  Del Grouch could only shake his head.

The core of City Council's "left wing," from the left Councillors Adam Vaughan, Gord Perks, Janet Davis, Sarah Doucette, along with Councillors Mary Fragedakis and Kristyn Wong-Tam in the row behind them.

A look at Committee Room 1 on the second floor of City Hall, filled with Toronto residents watching the political theatre and/or waiting to present

I enjoyed hearing what the 44 presenters before me thought about Rob Ford's proposed 2012 budget, and all but the first two disagreed with the budget's widespread cuts to services, cuts to city jobs and increases in user fees.

Here is the written version of my own presentation:

Good Afternoon.  My name is Jeff Roulston and I work with kids in Scarborough.  I had something prepared to say, but to avoid being repetitive, I'll address some issues in the proposed budget that relate to the young people I work with and their families.

First, though, I want to start by saying that the "Respect For Taxpayers" motto that the Mayor uses to guide everything this administration does, including the budget, is an insult to Torontonians.  It suggests that you only respect some of us.  Taxpayers.  Howeowners, but not tenants.  People with good jobs, but not unemployed people or those on welfare.  Those you are leaving out are more likely to be women, people of colour, immigrants, seniors and youth.

So when you look at "Respect For Taxpayers" next to Toronto's REAL motto, "Diversity, Our Strength," your motto is sexist, racist and age-ist.  It's un-Torontonian and un-Canadian.  And so is this budget.

The TTC service cuts and fare hikes at the same time will greatly affect the youth I work with and their families.  People from every socio-economic background use the TTC, but for the families of my kids there is no other option but to use the already crowded buses running through their Scarborough neighbourhoods.  Less TTC service for more money will make their lives more difficult.

Community Partnership Investment Project (CPIP) grants for community and arts groups give disadvantaged kids opportunities that make their lives more like those of kids in middle- and upper-class neighbourhoods.  Clawing back programs that make our diverse city more equitable is not good for the youth and families I work with or Toronto as a whole.

The proposed cuts to student nutrition and snack programs in schools would directly affect the vulnerable youngsters I work with.  My co-workers and I do boys' and girls' groups in an elementary school during the period between morning recess and lunch.  It is easy to see which kids are hungry, which ones didn't eat a proper breakfast or bring a snack.  They are grouchy, disruptive and barely participate in the mostly fun activities we use to teach them social skills and increase their self-esteem.  I can only imagine how unproductive they are when they return to class.

Allowing our children to go hungry and perform poorly in school is not cool, especially considering how much resources have been invested by volunteers and school boards.  Cutting these programs is downright mean.

As a citizen of Toronto, I ask the the mayor and city council use the revenues and financial tools available and stop hiding revenues and exaggerating our financial challenges.  Invest in the TTC, Children's and Social Services, Parks and Recreation, Roads, Libraries, Shelters and Housing, Tower Renewal and Building Inspections and the public service employees that make it all happen.

Thank you


***UPDATE***

The news cameras were mostly gone by the time I presented, but Toronto Star reporter Robyn Doolittle did mention my presentation in their live-blogging coverage and on Twitter (@robyndoolittle).  Here's a screenshot...