It has been a week of high political drama with attendant political uncertainty and instability. It is the kind of week where it’s easy for other issues to get lost. But one that cannot get lost is the city budget that will be introduced today. Whatever the results of the court proceedings, and the political processes, the budget will have a longer-term impact on all of us and on our city.
The Wellesley Institute has been turning its attention to the 2013 budget for a number of months and today we are releasing a new report that shows what it will cost to maintain city services and how to pay for it. Modest tax increases can prevent further cuts and preserve the services that Torontonians rely on.
This is the fourth in our Better Budget series. Two provide concrete, affordable policy ideas that are health-enhancing, polices that can be implemented in this year’s budget. Earlier in the year, we provided some great ideas from other cities in North America to enhance the budget process.