Ford’s campaign mantra runs out of gas

Chris Selley, Opinion, The National Post:

Rob Ford’s campaign narrative was almost out of gas heading into this week. And judging by the first two instalments of a spending review meant to find ways for Toronto to solve a massive budget shortfall, this car is almost ready for the scrap yard. It’s the burnt-out rental Dodge from Planes, Trains and Automobiles, with three-quarters of a bumper sticker reading “Respect for Taxp.”

Mr. Ford swore that the core services review reports, prepared by the firm KPMG, would find “at least $50- or $100-million” in savings, else their authors wouldn’t receive “one red cent” in compensation. Yet they largely vindicate his opponents’ stance: We know what the city does. We don’t need to pay consultants big bucks to tell us. Most of what the city does is either essential, provincially mandated or both — 96% of the services covered by Monday’s and Tuesday’s reports. (There are six more reports to come.)

And those services are delivered pretty decently, according to the reports. They don’t even suggest what efficiencies might be found — the mythical gravy — because that’s not what KPMG was commissioned to do.

That City Hall wastes some money is as obvious as it ever was. The question remains how much. We were promised enough to significantly ameliorate the nearly $800-million budget shortfall. We’re still waiting.

And we were promised it wouldn’t impact services. Now we know it will.

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