Roads, sidewalks and transportation services. To begin, what do you think are the most important issues facing our city in 2011, страница 120

205.  

Use our newfound "clout" to negotiate a fair deal with the federal government - we contribute more than we receive in funding. 80% of Canadians live in urban centres, and Toronto is the heart and soul of that (still growing) urbanism. Crumbling infrastructure, traffic congestion, depressed arts/culture/heritage, lack of innovation and job growth are not just local problems, they are national problems.

206.  

I have some comments about the survey. I am frustrated that the questions are predominantly closed rather than open--leaving no room for conditional or qualified responses. I understand that statistical data is valuable and easy to analyze, but I think the city is missing out on Torontonians' nuanced and thoughtful replies, suggestions and anecdotal experience with city services. /  / The limited options for response also biases the survey towards cutting services and contracting out city jobs. I feel strongly about protecting city workers' job security and the professional quality of the work they perform. I do not support contracting out city services in general, because I value the professionalism, high standards and accountability which municipally-run services provide.  I also support the principle of people with full-time, permanent, secure jobs which earn them a living wage. I don't relish the thought of a force of under-trained, under-paid workers with a high rate of job turn-over delivering city services. Nor do I think such a workforce would offer me good customer service if I needed assistance. /  / I'm dismayed by how often we

Torontonians are referred to as taxpayers by the current Mayor's office. Taxpayers, the way the word is used, are merely individuals who pay and demand a certain return on their money. Citizens also pay taxes, of course, but they also see that a city is more complex than a profit-and-loss bottom line. I think we need to look out for each other and support those in need, even if it means that people with comfortable lives pay more property tax or pay to drive on certain roads.  /  / I agree that there must be some efficiencies to be found in city services; it's the nature of large organizations to have areas of duplication or inefficiency. But my experience of city services does not suggest that there's a significant amount of excess (gravy) to cut. The fact that this survey was constructed to have respondents recommend cuts--to the exclusion of all other options for helping balance the budget--is dispiriting and somewhat insulting. /  / I hope that council will keep in mind the biased nature of this survey's questions and responses when considering the report arising from its data.

Such a survey can only indicate a tiny amount of information about what

Torontonians think about their city services. /  / I hope too that council will keep in the mind the jobs of city workers and their families that would be effected by contracting out and cutting services. /  / Thank you for taking the time to read my feedback. / 

207.  

Spend more on repairing infrastructure, and build a far reaching network of separated bike lanes, encompassing suburbs as well as inner city. Ban vehicles from the downtown core, excepting taxis and emergency vehicles.

208.  

You can't provide services for everyone and make everyone happy.  So don't try.  

Keep the most important services, fire, police, medical, road repair and maintenance.  The city also doesn't have to provide everyone here with jobs.  Also hire people that live in Toronto not people who live outside of the city and commute back.  We don't get any of their taxes!

209.  

Work at dismantling the current TCHC conglomerate.   TCHC  is full of words and policies but administration at best is very / evasive.  TCHC is not a Housing

Management Corporation.  Units are purposely allowed to rot, 6 months to 1 year to repair, and only done after the tenant moves out.  Why is there such a long wait list, when there are more than a dozen empty units for more than 6 months.  Vacancies should not exist in this environment for more than 3 months.   /  / TCHC is an oppressive management.....City must be fully aware of this.  

210.  

Approaching decisions about services with the goal of cutting costs first is ineffective and short-sighted. / Investing additional money and resources into certain departments and programs can result in savings in others, while simultaneously improving levels of service. Toronto's own experience has shown that short-staffing and deferring capital projects often results in greater expenditures down the road, especially when the City does not meet its legal responsibilities.

211.  

I would rather pay a steady but minimal increase in property taxes every year, instead of being given a year off from taxes only to be hit hard with taxes two years down the road. /  / Contracting out government services isn't a cost-cutting measure. It could balloon the cost of services AND result in a notable decrease in quality if the private services are untested, inexperienced, unfamiliar with providing the services to such a large city, do not have political infrastructure or policies developed over years of providing the service to the city. Contracting out government services seems to be the worst of both world: increasing the price of these services and decrease the quality of these services due to inexperience. /  / Services must actually be cut or reduced in order to save money, not farmed out to corporations whose bottom-line is to increase shareholder value. Since those private companies will be looking out for shareholders, they will not be directly accountable to the public. Therefore, privatizing portions of city government is antithetical to democracy and proper public government..

212.  

police and fine cyclists who ride on sidewalks endangering the life and limb of all pedestrians