[getsmart-l] FW: Toronto Gets a C+ for Fighting Smog: Council Tax Tricks Take Away Anti-Smog Treats

[Janet May]

  _____  

From: Franz Hartmann [mailto:franz at torontoenvironment.org] 
Sent: October 31, 2007 12:45 PM
To: 'Franz Hartmann'
Subject: Toronto Gets a C+ for Fighting Smog: Council Tax Tricks Take Away
Anti-Smog Treats

 

 

 


For Immediate Release
October 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

Toronto Gets a C+ for Fighting Smog

Council Tax Tricks Take Away Anti-Smog Treats

 

(Toronto) - Today, the Toronto Environmental Alliance released its annual
Smog Report Card, giving the City of Toronto a C+ for action on smog in 2007
- up from C- in 2006. TEA lauded Council's adoption of the new Smog and
Climate Change Plan and the Transit City Plan to expand the transit system.
But Council's delay in adopting the new revenue tools proposed in July
crippled TTC service improvements and other smog fighting initiatives,
reducing the grade significantly.

 

"Toronto was on track for a B or B+ before it voted to defer the new taxes
in July," commented Franz Hartmann, Executive Director of the Toronto
Environmental Alliance. "That vote sucked the life out of the Smog and
Climate Change Plan for four months and put basic improvements to the TTC in
jeopardy."

 

Dubbing 2007 "The Year of Uncertainty" TEA's Smog Report Card notes that the
Mayor showed remarkable leadership in getting Council to adopt a new Smog
and Climate Change Plan. But Council's tax tricks, the four month delay in
adopting two new revenue tools, harmed the plan's implementation and took a
toll on the TTC.

 

"We spent last four months wondering whether the smog and climate change
plan would be still-born," said Katrina Miller, Campaigns Director of the
Toronto Environmental Alliance. "Now we want assurances in the 2008 budget
that fighting smog is still a priority for this city."

 

The Report Card contains 7 recommendations including many specific to
Toronto's 2008 budget. TEA is calling on City Council to freeze TTC fares,
fund TTC service improvements, invest in green power and energy efficiency,
and support community anti-smog actions. 

 

In addition to celebrating Toronto's new transit and smog plans, the Smog
Report Card gave high points for earmarking $84 million for energy
efficiency and completing over 200 energy retrofits on City buildings.
Movement on developing the Community Right to Know bylaw, the new Air
Quality Health Index, and expanded subsidies for green roofs was also
acknowledged as pluses in the report. Hartmann and Miller highlighted no new
green power purchases, continued TTC fare increases and a sluggish bike plan
as proof that little funding and slow implementation continue to plague many
smog fighting initiatives.

-30-

 

For more information, contact: Franz Hartmann, Executive Director, 

Toronto Environmental Alliance: 416-606-8881

 

A copy of the report is attached and available on the web at
www.torontoenvironment.org

 

 

 

Franz Hartmann, PhD

Executive Director

Toronto Environmental Alliance

416-596-0660

franz at torontoenvironment.org

www.torontoenvironment.org

 

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