Councillor Josh Matlow in the News

January 25, 2012

Rob Ford’s hand-picked executive committee has unexpectedly hit the brakes on two of his own divisive proposals, a move that signals a recognition that the mayor does not have the support he needs to force city council’s hand. It’s a policy retreat that some city hall insiders believe could give way to a new era of co-operation.

At a meeting on Tuesday, Mayor Ford and his team deferred a proposal to sell 675 social-housing units and asked for a staff report on a plan to liquidate 10 per cent of Toronto Hydro rather than vote either item through for an inevitable showdown at council. While the mayor has spoken in favour of both schemes in the past year, they will now languish for upwards of a month.

Read more: Globe and Mail: Ground shifts at Toronto's city council as the Ford agenda stalls

January 24, 2012

Read more: Toronto Star: A new Toronto transit proposal delivers more bang for the $8.2 billion buck

January 23, 2012

The provincial agency building new rapid transit in Toronto is urging the city to figure out what it wants, after the TTC chair expressed her opposition to burying the entire 19-kilometre light rail transit line along Eglinton.

Karen Stintz is zeroing in on an eastern section of the Eglinton-Scarborough-Crosstown, from Brentcliffe Road to Kennedy Station, that was forced underground at Mayor Rob Ford’s insistence. Ms. Stintz favours placing surface tracks on the suburban stretches that are wide enough to accommodate them, if the money saved can then be used to extend the Sheppard subway.

Read more: National Post: Save money on Eglinton LRT to extend Sheppard subway, TTC chair suggests

January 23, 2012

If Mayor Rob Ford decides to try and keep his campaign promise of eliminating the land transfer tax, he's going to face some stiff competition.

A group of Councillors that occupy the "middle" of the political spectrum at City Hall has gained some steam over the last week since making amendments to stop millions of dollars in cuts in the 2012 budget.

Councillor Josh Matlow, himself a member of the so-called "Mighty Middle," had several other Councillors from the same group on his show "The City" Sunday afternoon on NewsTalk 1010.  They concluded that given their numbers and where they stand on the land transfer tax, they would probably shoot it down if  it came to a vote in Council.  Those who support the tax say it is a valuable source of revenue for Toronto.

Read more: Newstalk1010: Mayor's allies speak out as middle vows to save land transfer tax