Council Scorecard: Yet another Scarborough subway vote, and putting a Ford foe on the executive committee

Council Scorecard, October 25, 2013:Google Docs (Best View) - Download (PDF) - Download (PNG) -  Archives & Information

After a summer hiatus, City Council returned to business Oct. 8 with both a regular meeting to discuss a range of city issues and a very special meeting held to determine who should be appointed to fill the vacant council seat in Ward 3. Mostly, though, councillors just talked about the Scarborough subway. Because that’s all they ever talk about.

I’ve added three votes to the City Council Scorecard from those meetings. Two of them relate to the subway decision, while the other is a close vote that nearly saw Mayor Rob Ford nemesis Coun. Adam Vaughan appointed to the mayor’s powerful executive committee. Wouldn’t that have been something?

New Votes

The votes added, from left-to-right:

CC39.5, Motion 1, was the definitive vote that saw a slight majority of councillors express their preference for a Scarborough subway over the previously-approved Scarborough LRT. Moved by Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, this decision may just be the last word on what’s been a contentious and frustrating debate. The subway won on a 24-20 vote.

CC39.5, Motion 4, was another subway-related vote, this one having to do with the less-fun subject of paying for it. City finance staff had recommended that the subway be funded by a series of property tax increases, starting with a 0.5 per cent increase in 2014. The mayor, though, wanted to keep the election year property tax increase to just 0.25 per cent. This motion, moved by Budget Chief Frank Di Giorgio, tried to do just that — but council rejected it 21-23.

Finally, ST11.1, Motion 1, was a pretty hilarious attempt to put Coun. Adam Vaughan — no fan of Ford — on Ford’s powerful executive committee. Following the resignation of Coun. Paul Ainslie from the committee, Ford’s team indicated they wanted to put Coun. Peter Leon — who had just been appointed to replace Doug Holyday — in Ainslie’s spot. Other councillors, however, pointed out Leon had no real experience and also that, hey, wouldn’t it be nice if the committee had some semblance of representation from wards in Old Toronto & East York? The bid to put Vaughan on the committee failed on a tie vote: 16-16.

If you’re interested in seeing how councillors voted in the balloting process to fill the Ward 3 vacancy, I’ve created this chart. Because he’s expected to vote similarly, I’ve decided that Coun. Leon will just inherit Doug Holyday’s Ford Nation score.

Trend Watch

Coun. Paul Ainslie, now involved in a public feud with the mayor, continues to see his Ford Nation score plummet. He’s down 20 points in 2013.

Ainslie’s downward toward trend has been offset by gains from some on council’s “mushy middle.” Coun. Josh Colle — who recently travelled with the mayor to Austin, Texas — is up 7.5 points in 2013, while Coun. Ana Bailão has increased her Ford Nation score by almost 10 points in 2013.

Questions

Questions about the Council Scorecard? Read my notes on methodology. Also, you can email me.