STARTING FROM $0.99/MONTH* SUN+ LOGIN SUBSCRIBERS GET FULL ACCESS *Certain conditions apply DRIVING HOMES CLASSIFIEDS CAREERS OBITUARIES SEARCH WEDNESDAY JULY 13 2016 HOME NEWS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT LIFE TECH MONEY TRAVEL OPINION PHOTOS VIDEOS SUNSHINE GIRL MORE TORONTO & GTA ONTARIO CANADA WORLD WEIRD ARCHIVES NEWS TORONTO & GTA Budget needs to tackle widening 'fairness gap' BY MARYAM SHAH, TORONTO SUN FIRST POSTED: SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2016 04:28 PM EDT | UPDATED: SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2016 04:29 PM EDT TORONTO - Advocates say the city’s budget process for 2017 needs to address a widening “fairness gap” that hits low-income families while sparing the owners of homes and cars. Commitment2Community raised the issue ahead of this week’s council meeting where councillors will address Toronto’s long-term financial direction. One campaign representative — Gideon Forman, an analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation — said a lot of councillors “just don’t realize” there’s a fairness gap in who has had to pay more Toronto City Hall (Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun) over the years for city services. Taxes such as those imposed on alcoholic beverages or charging fees for vehicle registration stickers are “no big Article deal” in other cities around the world, he added. Recommend 0 “They realize that when a city reaches a certain size — about 2 million, 2.5 million — you cannot rely just on the property tax,” Forman stressed. Tweet Sean Meagher, executive director of Social Planning Toronto, said property tax 1 rates in Toronto have not increased with the rate of inflation over the past six years, yet user fees for transit and recreational services have gone up. TOP STORIES “The (costs for) services that lower-income families use have been going up, POPULAR LATEST VIDEOS while the costs for property owners and car owners have been going down,” Meagher said. Former Paul Bernardo fan Report an error charged in U.S. Consulate The pair suggested that three taxes the city could impose within the next six attack Related Stories months — including a parking levy of $1.50 per spot each day at malls and other locations — could bring in $535 million annually. City urged to probe potential LED street lights risk “I think it’s important to remember that these aren’t conversations about just budgets or revenues or dollars and cents,” Meagher said. “They’re conversations Tenors change lyrics to O Safe injection site debate lands at about how we build a city.” Canada at MLB all-star council game Budget chief Gary Crawford was unavailable for comment. Tory ready for the Scarborough Thousands of used subway debate to end all condoms found in Lake [email protected] Ontario Scarborough subway debates Mayor pledges to support some 'revenue tools' later this year Enough talk. Build the Scarborough subway Councillor wants to look at bike licensing system Read my lips: No new taxes — yet MORE FROM TORONTO & GTA Thousands of used condoms found in Lake Ontario Former Paul Bernardo fan charged in U.S. Consulate attack SPONSORED LINKS Mammo targets Black Lives Matter award Up to 90% Debt SWIMMING Reduction. POOLS DIRECT Accused 'hit me' and Sinking in debt? We can help! Pools/Patio Furniture, Hot Tubs demanded money: former prostitute Click here & start today! Factory Direct Click here for specials! See All Sponsored Links City council looks for spending cuts INSIDE TORONTO SUN.COM ENTERTAINMENT Johnson NEWS NEWS snapped NEWS Bernardo fan '(Police) beat topless on '50' Used condoms accused of me for close to set found in lake attack four hours' HOME MOBILE VERSION NEWS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT LIFE HOMES SUNSHINE GIRL TORONTO & GTA LATEST SCORES TV SEX FILES GOLF ONTARIO MAPLE LEAFS TV LISTINGS HEALTH & FITNESS CANADA BLUE JAYS MOVIES EAT WEATHER WORLD RAPTORS MOVIE LISTINGS FASHION WEIRD TORONTO ROCK CELEBRITIES EDUCATION & CAREERS FIND-A-RENTAL ARCHIVES ARGOS MUSIC SUN IN THE COMMUNITY TORONTO FC STAGE ARCHIVES CONTESTS HOCKEY BOOKS GOLF ARCHIVES BASEBALL SPECIAL SECTIONS FOOTBALL BASKETBALL LOTTERY RESULTS SOCCER CURLING LIVE CHATS TENNIS HORSE RACING MANAGE MY ACCOUNT MOTORSPORTS MMA READ E-EDITION OTHER SPORTS ARCHIVES MUST READS TECH MONEY TRAVEL OPINION GADGETS MONEY HOME ONTARIO COLUMNISTS NEWS ARCHIVES CANADA EDITORIAL GAMING USA LETTERS DISCOVERY EUROPE SEND LETTER TO THE ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL EDITOR ARCHIVES BLOGS CARTOONS ARCHIVES PHOTOS VIDEOS EDITORS PICKS NEWS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT TECH MONEY SUNSHINE GIRL FOLLOW SUBSCRIBE TORONTO SUN ONLINE ADVERTISE SUN PUBLICATIONS SUN+ CONTACT US DRIVING IN PRINT OTTAWA SUN RSS PRINT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR HOMES ONLINE WINNIPEG SUN MOBILE CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIED CALGARY SUN FACEBOOK MANAGE MY ACCOUNT CAREERS ADVERTISING EDMONTON SUN OBITUARIES OPPORTUNITIES MORE PUBLICATIONS TWITTER BUY SUN ITEMS ARCHIVES & SERVICES PAGE SITE MAP PRIVACY POLICY TERMS & CONDITIONS POWERED BY FATWIRE COPYRIGHT © 2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED CANOE SUN MEDIA IS A MEMBER OF .