February 6, 2008
Weather Blows, Super Tuesday Super Inconclusive, Carjackers Gone Wild
The weather continues to suck in Toronto as today promises more snow, sleet, rain and just about every other damn unpleasant thing that can fall out of the sky short of a hail of radioactive meteorites. On the other hand, the central U.S. suffered a rash of tornadoes yesterday that killed at least 27 people, so suck it up and go shovel the walk of the old people down the street.
U.S. candidates continue to plod their way down the unfathomable path of the primaries as they compete to determine who will take responsibility for the world's largest debt. Super Tuesday, which had all the drama of the Super Bowl but fewer hot wings, was inconclusive as Clinton and Obama split delegates for the Dems. On the GOP side, John McCain increased his lead but wasn't quite able to knock out rivals "Oven" Mitt Romney and cartoon Christian Mike Huckabee.
The Toronto Board of Trade shocked the City budget committee by recommending another 3% rise in residential property taxes above and beyond the 3.75% already in the works. The proposal did not extend to higher taxes for business, which is why they're the Board of Trade and not the Board of Homeowners.
Two men have been arrested following an attempted carjacking last night, and police think the suspects may also have been responsible for a pair of gunpoint auto thefts in Oshawa and Mississauga yesterday morning. The arrests follow an earlier carjacking and associated crime spree on Saturday night, although it's not known if the incidents are related. In the meantime, police advise caution if you're approached by armed men wearing balaclavas.
Photo by The Indecisive Moment from the Torontoist Flickr Pool. Photo manipulation by David Topping.
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This morning I had to wait as 6 or 7 packed subway trains went by before I could squeeze into one. Is this new? I don't remember snow driving people to the subway in the past. And it's not like it's even a lot of snow.
EVERYONE who has thought about the issue for more than a second realizes that Toronto homeowners pay far too little property tax. 905 cities levy much more in tax on homeowners and are much more responsive to those homeowners.
Toronto has been visited by resource curse economics - as have most central city governments in North America - where taxation falls on the unrepresented. You then see business flight over a generation combined with dysfunctional government. Toronto is following Detroit and Buffalo down the road to hell.
Rebalancing taxes onto homeowners - who get all of the benefit of city services - creates both a more vibrant economy and a more involved citizenry. Corporations are not some separate entity, they are simply made up of people - who have to live somewhere. By only taxing homeowners, you ensure a vibrant job market, superior housing market, and a great city. Now we are driving business to the 905 and beyond while the city is collapsing.
You know you've really screwed up when rightwingers are demanding that their property taxes be increased - but there you are.