Budget Chief Shelley Carroll is the exact opposite of Robin Hood, being that she has constantly shown her intentions to steal from the poor and give to the rich.
With her constant screw-ups as the Toronto Budget Chief, its anyone's wonder how she hasn't resigned out of shame in her obvious inability to perform the role.
Her latest stupidity finds her pushing for the tax revenues generated from the new Toronto Billboard Tax to go towards the Arts, and not towards the families and children who have been slapped by the latest Toronto City Budget which plans to increase property taxes and user fees on almost everything in the City of Toronto.
Now sure, after her last screw-up with the Budget and her over-looking of a $100 Million surplus (some Budget Chief, eh?), when the money was found she tried to subdue the cries for the resignation of the entire Toronto City Council (except for Rob Ford of course) and the Mayor by chopping some of the user fees in half, and etc. But still, the bulk of this new strain on Toronto families and children is still existent, and yet if you spoke with Carroll, you would think that everything was perfectly fine.
I mean, in any other society in the world with even an ounce of intelligence, if families and children are starving, and people are losing their houses, and their jobs, and they're fighting to survive, do you really think that they want to go out to see the latest version of the Phantom of the Opera? Do you think that they are ready to dish out huge amounts of money to go to the ROM? Do you think they have time to stand in line to catch a film at the Toronto International Film Festival???
No, they're pinching pennies so they can buy food to feed their families. They're re-using old clothes, they're avoiding buying anything that's not absolutely necessary.
If there is even one extra penny in the City's Tax Revenues, it should be going towards easing the new tax/user fee burden that's being placed on Toronto Families and Toronto Children. In no way should it go towards funding a culture that is enjoyed primarily by the Rich, so they can escape the challengeless boredom of their rich and privileged lives.
Here's the story from the Globe and Mail:
Budget chief wants revenue from new billboard tax to support the arts
Revenue from Toronto's new billboard tax could wind up fuelling a substantial increase in cultural spending after all if a proposal by the budget chief wins approval before council breaks for the election.
Councillor Shelley Carroll intends to move a motion at Wednesday's meeting of the executive committee asking staff to craft a long-term plan to meet the funding targets of the Culture Plan adopted in 2003 by "taking into consideration the new revenue stream created by the Billboard Tax."
A coalition of 60 arts groups calling itself Beautiful City devoted years to lobbying for a billboard tax on the condition the cash went to public art. But when council voted for the tax in December, it chose not to earmark the proceeds, leaving the fate of the money to the budget instead.
The city's finance staff predicts the billboard tax will rake in a little over $10-million per year beginning in 2011, and it is that money Ms. Carroll wants funnelled into satisfying the 2003 Culture Plan.
Indeed, one early theme in the race to replace David Miller has been fiscal responsibility, with most candidates pledging to be more frugal than the outgoing mayor. It is not even certain the current council would support a substantial boost to arts funding, considering Toronto's long-term money woes.
"Taking a new tax like the billboard tax and directing it to pet projects is really mind-boggling," said Councillor Doug Holyday, a frequent critic of city spending. "It really shows you why she [Ms. Carroll] shouldn't be in charge of the city budget."
I don't know about you, but I'm really tired of this disgrace we have for a Budget Chief, and if you wonder why Toronto is in the financial shambles that it is, then you need to look no further than Shelley Carroll, and Toronto's #1 douchebag, Mayor David Miller.
I'm hoping that come election time, we'll see a brand new Toronto City Council, a Budget Chief that actually has some kind of competence for the role, and a new Mayor who will actually clean up City Hall.
--jackandcokewitalime
(Image:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dannygalic/3603599479/sizes/l/ by dannygalic on flickr
Copyright: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
You refer to "funding a culture that is enjoyed primarily by the Rich", obviously funding such a "culture" is so that the less fortunate can enjoy it!!!
ReplyDeleteSo let me get this straight: because Councilor Carroll (whom I agree is doing a horrible job as Budget Chief) is fulfilling a promise that someone else made to fund the arts (obviously so that people who normally cant afford to enjoy the arts, may enjoy as well) - This makes are "anti-family" and "anti-children"
Really!?! (I dont see the connection??)
Some one "passed the buck" to her, should we not applaud her for not passing that buck on???
She rarely disserves applause but: give credit when credit is due buddy.
Here we are in 2014, and "Stupid Bitch" Shelley is licking her chops..she can't wait for the day the Fords are gone from City Hall so she can return to her free-spending, self-righteous and self-indulgent ways. Her arrogance as a public servant is unparalleled. Shame that she will probably get re-elected in Ward 33, as the incumbent has such an advantage. Her private sector-qualifications (as a mere bank teller) would make it tough for her to earn any living except for the picking of the pockets of the hard-working taxpayers. No doubt, Shelly will suck-up hard to John Tory, should be become mayor. The whole scenario makes me want to vomit. We deserve better representation than the likes of Ms. Carroll.
ReplyDeleteProof of her greed for power and poor judgement.... Ms. Carroll has chosen to carry the Wynne Party banner in Don Valley North for the upcoming provincial election. If he was honourable, she would resign her seat at City Hall so that she could focus on the election. Instead, she keep one hand in the City cookie-jar, while reaching for Queen's park cookies. When are we going to be rid of this stupid self-serving woman?
ReplyDelete