How will John Tory use his 'strong mayor' powers? The budget battle could tell the tale

Sitting silently to the side of a committee room at city hall, Toronto's mayor got an earful last week as the budget committee heard presentations from dozens of people from across the city.. 

More than ever before, the city's proposed budget is John Tory's spending package. The new "strong mayor" powers given to him by the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Doug Ford make it so. 

Unlike previous years when city staff prepared the document, under the new regime the mayor crafts Toronto's spending plan. 

Its priorities are his priorities. Its cuts are his cuts.

And after hearing from dozens of people in sessions he attended across the city, Tory will have to decide if he wants to change his $16.1-billion plan or forge ahead using those same "strong mayor" powers to force his through. 

Tory has said he's open to changes. Tuesday's meeting of the budget committee is the final one before the spending package goes before the full council. It will be the first chance to see just how flexible the mayor is willing to be under this new system, which seemingly requires no flexibility from the mayor at all.

Under the 'strong mayor' regime, councillors need a two-thirds majority vote to amend the budget. So, instead of building the usual coalition required to pass it, Tory could push what is likely the most consequential vote of any council year through with support from just one third of its members.

Myer Siemiatycki, professor emeritus at Toronto Metropolitan University, said while Tory doesn't need to change a thing under the rules, politics will force him to tread lightly.

"I don't think that John Tory wants to be seen this early in the new term as using his 'strong mayor' powers to flagrantly disregard public opinion," he said. 

But any flexibility on Tory's part may have its limits. Both he and his budget chief, Coun. Gary Crawford, appear set on providing a controversial $48-million spending hike to the Toronto police.

"I don't expect that there will be any reduction in the police budget, I think he's locked into that," Siemiatycki said.

"My impression is that we're going to see a little bit of tinkering around the edges to try to signal that the public has been heard. But I don't expect much substantively to change in this budget."

The mayor has framed this spending package as big on public safety supports while holding the line on services. The police spending increase, the 5.5 per cent property tax hike, the 1.5 per cent city building levy increase, and the 10 cent TTC fare hike have proven controversial. 

Tory has hinted that he might be looking at redirecting some funds in the budget to help with mental health supports for people in crisis on the transit system. Some of the other changes could be small and hyper-local, he said.