| Here is how I voted on important issues. |
| 2008 Operating Budget |
| Motion:
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| 2009 - 2012 Capital Plan |
| Motion:
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| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| 2008 Capital Budget |
| Motion:
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Implementation of a Personal Vehicle Ownership Tax |
Motion: Council adopt a new Personal Vehicle Ownership Tax within the City of Toronto. The tax is to be applied as follows:
1. $60 per personal vehicle per year;
2. $30 per personal motorcycle or moped per year;
3. $0 for personal motorized snow vehicles and historical
vehicles.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Implementation of Land Transfer Tax |
Motion: Council adopt a new Land Transfer Tax within the City of Toronto at the following rates:
1. one-half of 1% of the value of the consideration for the conveyance up to and including $55,000;
2. 1% of the value of the consideration which exceeds $55,000 up to and including $400,000;
3. 1.5% of the value of the consideration which exceeds $400,000, up to and including $40 million;
4. 1% of the value of the consideration which exceeds $40 million;
5. notwithstanding (3 & 4), 2% of the value of the consideration for the conveyance which exceeds $400,000, if the conveyance is a conveyance of land that contains at least one and not more than two single family residences.
and the City Solicitor be authorized and directed to introduce the necessary bill(s) in Council to give effect thereto.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| 2007 Operating Budget |
Motion: To approve the $7.8 billion Operating Budget which includes a property tax increase of 3.8 per cent for residents and 1.26 per cent for commercial and industrial properties. As well, the City will use $278 million from its reserve funds as a one-time solution to balance the 2007 Operating Budget.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| City to Purchase Landfill site in St. Thomas, Ontario |
Motion: Toronto City Council to complete a letter of intent to purchase the Green Lane Landfill in St. Thomas, Ontario for an undisclosed amount of money. City officials to negotiate the final terms of the sale within 90 days.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Compensation for Elected Officials - July 25 |
| Motion: To increase Councillors' current salary of about $87,000 a year to $95,000, and the mayor's salary from $148,000 to $160,000.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Toronto Bid for 2015 World Expo |
Motion: To initiate the City of Toronto bid for the 2015 World Expo, and to seek approval from the provincial and federal governments. Regulations set out by Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) require that the official letter of candidature be submitted by the federal government on behalf of the City of Toronto. On May 3, the Turkish government submitted a bid on behalf of Izmir thereby setting in motion a six-month clock requiring other potential competitors to submit their letters by November 3.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Construction of 46 storey and 30 storey hotel/residential in Toronto - April 2006 |
Motion: To permit the construction of a 46-storey building as part of a complex including a five-star Four Seasons hotel. The new complex, situated on the east side of Bay Street between Yorkville Avenue and Scollard Street, will also include a 30-storey residential building. The developer to contribute $5 million for local community projects involving the Toronto Reference Library, Jessie Ketchum School, the local fire hall and streetscape improvements.
Comment: While high density development is preferred in the downtown core, the proposal is too dense and high for the site.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| 2006 Operating Budget - March 2006 |
Motion: To approve a residential property tax increase of 3% and a corporate tax increase of 1%. Including spending increases in most departments, without significant efficiencies found. Including a Provincial bailout of $165 Million in mostly one-time funding. The City's debt has surpassed $2 Billion and is costing taxpayers over $200 Million per year in interest payments.
Comment: More work needs to be done to find efficiencies and reduce the City's reliance on property tax increases.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Salary Increase for Non-Union staff and Elected Officials |
| Motion: To increase the salary of non-union staff and elected officials by 12.25% over four years.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Assistance with flood prevention - Sept. 2005 |
Motion: The City approved a subsidy to help pay for certain flood-prevention measures as a result of the August 19 storm. Council decided to reactivate an earlier subsidy program in order to help people pay for the installation of a back-flow valve designed to prevent storm-sewer overflow from entering homes through basement water pipes. The subsidy is also available to help people install sump pumps and disconnect roof downspouts. The Citys web site offers more details at www.toronto.ca/water.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Free parking for war veterans - July 2005 |
Motion: Motion to offer free municipal parking in Toronto for the rest of this year to war veterans who drive a vehicle with a veterans' licence plate. The gesture coincides with the federal Year of the Veteran, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War - Victory in Europe (VE) Day - on May 8, 1945. The parking arrangement covers on-street parking meters and City-operated parking lots.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| City Budget - March 2005 |
Motion: Approve the 2005 City Budget, including a 3% Residential Property Tax Increase, 1.5% Commercial Property Tax increase, Separate Garbage Pickup fee for Condo owners and apartment renters, 25 cent fare increase on TTC, selling City assets (street light poles), deplete Cities emergency reserves.
Karen - City has not found efficiences in order to reduce costs and limit tax increases.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Homeless Strategy February 2005 |
Motion: Provide street outreach services by hiring more outreach workers, building a new shelter and creating 1,000 new units of affordable housing annually. The strategy also establishes a protocol for Nathan Phillips Square.
Karen - Cost and implementation of strategy is not feasible or realistic
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| New structure for City administration November 2004 |
| Motion: New organizational structure for Senior Management to take effect on April 15, 2005. The current Chief Administrative Officer position will be re-titled City Manager with two additional Deputy City Manager positions and one Deputy City Manager/Chief Financial Officer position. Item was before City Council without being introduced at Policy and Finance Committee.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Election finance Reform September 2004 |
Motion: Creating new rules covering finances in City of Toronto municipal elections. The new rules, which require amendments to provincial legislation in order to take effect, prohibit corporations and unions from contributing money to election campaigns. Among other recommendations adopted are rules for providing more transparent disclosure of campaign finances; increasing the amount of money candidates can spend on their election campaigns
Karen - Election transparency is vital to maintain the public trust
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Tree protection bylaw September 2004 |
Motion: Bylaw to help preserve Toronto's urban forest by requiring a City permit for cutting down any mature trees on private property. Effective immediately, residents and developers need a permit in order to remove trees with trunk diameters greater than 30 centimetres.
Karen - Trees are important to our community character
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Development Charges By-law June 2004 |
| Motion: Increase development charges to help fund the additional physical infrastructure (roads, water pipes and sewers) required to accommodate growth. The new bylaw contains transitional provisions to cushion the impact of the increased development charge
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Holistic Medicine Centres June 2004 |
Motion: Amend licensing bylaw to include new rules regarding businesses that describe themselves as holistic medicine centres, many of which are thought to be operating as massage parlours offering sexual services. The City will require centres offering holistic therapies, such as shiatsu massage, to hold a valid practitioner's licence and keep patient records, among other stipulations.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Island Airport December 4 |
| Motion: The Council of the City of Toronto request that the Federal Government and its agency, the Toronto Port Authority, agree to amend the Tripartite Agreement so as to remove the provision for a fixed link to the Toronto City Centre Airport
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Integrity and City lobbyist registry January 27 |
| Motion: Council direct staff to draft bylaws that - subject to anticipated provincial government support - will establish a City lobbyist registry and the position of integrity commissioner for the City.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Collective Agreement with Firefighters January 27 |
| Motion: Five-year agreement, retroactive to January 1, 2002, extends to December 31, 2006. The firefighter agreement includes a salary grid based on years of service. In addition, benefits for active members of Local 3888 have been brought in line with the benefit plans of other City employees.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - nay |
| Reasoning: |
| Community Safety Plan March 1 |
| Motion: Obtain public input at a meeting in May regarding a new development charges bylaw for Toronto.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Development Charges March 1 |
| Motion: Obtain public input at a meeting in May regarding a new development charges bylaw for Toronto.
|
| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
| Implementation of the Citys Pesticides By-law May 18 |
| Motion: Implement Pesticide by-law subject to the education-only phase of the by-law being extended to September 1, 2007, for homeowners, so that no tickets will be issued against homeowners during this period.
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| Vote: Karen Stintz - yea |
| Reasoning: |
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