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Embattled Mayor Rob Ford started Thursday?s executive committee by flexing his mayoral muscles.
In a campaign-style speech, Ford heralded the 2013 budget, outlined his administration?s accomplishments over the last two years and made it clear ? despite a looming court ruling that could toss him out of office ? he?s not planning on going anywhere.
?This budget represents a turning point for Toronto,? Ford told his executive committee. ?It?s something I was elected two years ago to do ? and we?re getting the job done, as promised.
?Don?t get me wrong, there is still a lot of work to do over the next two years and I am committed to finishing the job.?
Ford may not have a choice in whether he can continue as mayor. A three-judge panel is currently weighing his appeal of Justice Charles Hackland?s ruling throwing him out of office for violating the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.
But Ford?s speech Thursday is a clear indication he?s not giving up the mayor?s office easily and won?t sit on his hands until the court ruling drops. The roughly 13-minute budget battle cry also sets the stage for next week?s council meeting to debate the 2013 budget.
?We have come a long, long way in the past two years but we are turning the corner and we are now on the right path ? the path to a brighter future and a stronger Toronto,? Ford said.
Ford also addressed the proposed cuts to Toronto Fire services in the 2013 budget. The budget eliminates around 100 vacant positions, closing one fire station and removing a second truck from four other stations.
?The sky is not falling,? Ford said. ?Residents and business owners can be confident there will be the same number of firefighters and fire trucks in service in 2013 as there were in 2012.?
Ford ran through a laundry list of measures introduced by his administration including contracting out more of the city?s garbage collection and curbing spending.
?After two years of hard work and heavy lifting, we?ve turned the tide,? he said.
The mayor also applauded the work done on the budget by budget chief Mike Del Grande.
?Getting here was not easy folks,? Ford said. ?(Del Grande) took this bull by the horns, wrestled it to the ground and said, ?The party is over.??
Source: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/01/10/mayor-rob-fords-executive-committee-tackles-2013-budget
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