Council's left accuses Ford of waging war on kids
By Don Peat,City Hall Bureau Chief
TORONTO - Left-leaning councillors accused Mayor Rob Ford’s budget committee of launching a “war on children” Monday.
The committee will vote later this week on introducing three new fees: $2 to swim in the city’s outdoor pools, $2 to visit Riverdale Farm and a yet-to-be determined fee to check out a DVD from the Toronto Public Library.
“To start charging kids for swimming, for books, for movies, for whatever, it constitutes a war on children in this city,” Councillor Adam Vaughan told reporters. “As far as I’m concerned Toronto’s kids count and if this council doesn’t have the courage to tax a car where does it get the gumption to start taxing kids?
“Is that what this city has come down to? We’re going to ding kids because we’re afraid to tax adults?”
Councillor Michelle Berardinetti initially suggested a $2 fee for borrowing popular movies from the library. Later in the day she said it would be up to the library board to set the exact fee and hinted MPPs would be open to changing legislation that prohibits charging for library materials.
Berardinetti argued the library should focus on literacy and the fee would help generate revenue.
“There is a lot more words that are contained in books then there is watching a movie,” she told reporters.
Councillor Janet Davis said Berardinetti’s “frightening” proposal is an attack on the fundamental concept of free access to materials in libraries.
“Right across this province you’ll begin to see basic things being charged for in libraries,” Davis said.
Councillor John Parker, a member of the budget committee, stressed “the city is facing a budget crunch and we have to look everywhere for solutions to the problem.
“Just off the cuff, I can’t see that a $2 fee is anything that should get anyone too riled up,” Parker said.
Councillor Mike Layton predicted the city would rise up against a $2 fee for pool usage.
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