Rob Ford elected mayor of Toronto

[CHIMO]

Rob Ford has emerged as the victor in Toronto's race for mayor, riding a wave of support for his cost-cutting promises.

With 96.5 per cent of polls reporting in Monday's municipal election, Ford garnered 47.3 per cent of the vote, compared with 35.4 per cent for former provincial Liberal cabinet minister George Smitherman. Joe Pantalone trailed with 11.8 per cent.

The veteran councillor ran on a platform calling for fiscal austerity and his campaign was defined by his repeated pledges to "stop the gravy train" at city hall.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/10/24/toronto-election-vote495.html
Monday, October 25, 2010 | 9:38 PM ET

My crystal ball says gridlock. And not only in traffic.

[iverglas]

1. even Jeffrey Simpson

Tried to get Toronto to learn from Ottawa's mistakes.

Cut the fucking boroughs and burbs loose from our cities, sez I.

Let them pay for the privilege of using the city, to move around and work in. Toll roads to get in, residence-based transit fares to get around and parking fees to stay around, and whatever else might be dreamed up to get out of them what they get out of it while refusing to contribute to the costs involved in just being a city.

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/cityhall/article/895168--voting-breakdown-highlights-downtown-suburban-divide

Voting breakdown highlights downtown, suburban divide
Ford takes Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke while Smitherman tops downtown

Mayor-elect Rob Ford's landslide victory on Monday, Oct. 25, night came almost entirely from the so-called inner suburbs - with the most dramatic levels of support coming from wards in Etobicoke and Scarborough.

George Smitherman, meanwhile, was ahead in 14 wards that roughly comprise the former City of Toronto - the downtown core where bike lanes, streetcars and left-of-centre politics have found their homes.

... Davis said that through the campaign it was clear that Ford's message was resonating powerfully with suburban voters - particularly his promise to repeal the vehicle registration and land transfer tax.

"Plus there was the fact that he returned phone calls - that's very authentic, very very powerful with people. And the vehicle registration tax is a real sore point - it's $60 a year."

Selling your community out for $60 a year. The kind of petty, selfish shit that shows some people for what they are.

[CHIMO]

2. Having Had

A few days to think about the elections my crystal ball can only attribute it to bed bugs.

I don't see Ford completing his term.

[iverglas]

3. hah

Larry O'Brien was a fucking criminal and everybody knew it, and he completed his. ;)

True that the mayor isn't quite like a head of government in terms of running the city, but it's damned depressing all the same.

Election reform at the senior levels is all the rage. It's really time we started thinking about system reform at the municipal level. Bring on party politics and parliamentary systems, please. I don't want a president nationally, and I don't want a tinpot president municipally!

[CHIMO]

4. I

Stand by my prediction. He will not complete his term.

He can't chew gum and walk at the same time.

I will probably forget my prediction before the next election, but you may remind me.

gdsoabjcs

[BolivarianHero]

5. O'Brien is Einstein compared to Ford...

At least he doesn't slap his wife around with a joint in his mouth while yelling "gino boy" and "faggot"! If my only choices were O'Brien and Ford, O'Brien would be the only choice.