Of late, The One has heard much wailing and gnashing of teeth over the City's proposed implementation of new bins to collect recyclables and other waste. Concerns include maneuverability of the bins, sidewalk blockage, and their questionable aesthetics, particularly in terms of their heritage friendliness. Perhaps making them look like small Victorian houses - a sort of "Garbage Cullen Gardens" - or a collection of Metronome Clinic client figurines would increase their acceptance.

We're not disputing the fact that the program could have been better researched, introduced and explained, and that the lack of the smallest bin is a curious, and frankly, goofy oversight. Especially since it would consume less space and be more easily moved. From Where We Sit, we think it would've been a much better move on the City's part to wait until these were available and use the time to consider how the program could best be implemented in a dense core area like the Duchy. (continued...) »

As the brouhaha continues over bunny costumes, wine, and mystery limo trips (with, we suspect, more than a few of us wishing Giorgio "Army Boy" Mammoliti had stayed at his unknown $200 destination) we provide our promised follow-up. Here's a list of our suggested guidelines for councillors to follow when managing their budgets, as well as some procedures the City could put into place to support them: (continued...) »

Recent reports in the local media are once again taking aim at our Hogtown porky politicos' perqs, particularly as they relate to the management - or lack therof - of their $53,000 annual office budgets.

We particularly liked Sandra Bussin's purchase of rabbit costumes ($205), and wonder if her current absence from her duties may be caused by a jammed bunny zipper.

Not to mention the indignant Adam Vaughan, who feels we're all just being a little too picky, and that we should have better things to do. This, no less, after he said "Those are two of my most ridiculous expenditures.” Clearly he must have better things to do than walking to the lunchroom to fetch a coffee - or sending a staffer to do this - therefore justifying a $281 cappucino machine. (We won't be meeting with him unless he gets a draught tap.) Of course, at the end of his term we're sure he'll be leaving the machine and the lovely $900 painting he bought, in the office of the organization that bought it, rather than taking it home. (continued...) »

The One was pleased to see that the City has deep-sixed - at least for the moment - a plan to purchase 35 food carts at a total cost of $700,000 to lease to city food vendors. This is good news to our ears for a number of reasons, including:

• The predictable probability that the City has seriously underestimated the purchase cost - shades of MFP, Skydome, Union Station and who knows what else?
• The fiscal fact that we can't afford to spend the money.
• The engaging eventuality that the free market might actually be allowed to prevail, and that merchants who want to sell their product will have to be able to afford to set up their own place of business.
• The scintillating supposition that we might end up with a diversity of carts that actually matches the diversity of food products the City seems so enamoured of. Think of it, carts that look like the ROM's Lee Chin Crystal, OCAD, or a giant goat roti!

Of course if that's the case, why is Councillor Filion so hot about a uniform "look" and "branding for the city as a food destination?" Has he somehow missed the phenomenal success of the last branding effort - Toronto Unlimited? (continued...) »