The Petition
We the undersigned residents of the City of Toronto, call on our
councillors to stand up for the kind of Toronto we need and want: stop
the cuts and expand needed services NOW in the 2012 Budget.
The scare of a deficit proved to be false, there is in fact a $154 million
surplus. Ford's proposed service cuts and eliminations - valued
at $88 million - are both unreasonable and inexcusable in the face of an
existing service crisis in this city with 79,000 people waiting for
housing and another 19,000 for childcare. We call for services to be
expanded - for our children, our seniors, our families, for immigrants and
undocumented people, and for our environment.
We know that a thriving, vibrant, healthy city needs its transit
system expanded, its libraries and swimming pools open, shelters and housing
for poor people improved, it's supports for people living with HIV maintained,
its services for seniors increased, programs for immigrants enriched and more
childcare spots made available.
We call on our councillors to pass a budget that stops the cuts and
layoffs and ensures that there are no more user fees in the city. We
call on our councillors to pass a budget that ensures that the 2012
Toronto Budget invests to expand the services for all.