Accomplishments

Some accomplishments from the 2003 to 2006 term as Toronto City Councillor

Public Finance

• responsible for the presentation and approval of three operating and capital budgets that kept tax increases aligned to the inflation rate, while protecting core services and enhancing residents' quality of life 
• together with the Mayor successfully negotiated for the City’s interests with the Government of Ontario to achieve funding for Toronto’s operations and infrastructure, including transit 
• responsible for the presentation and approval of an improved financial planning and budget process that has won the Government Finance Officer Association’s Award for Excellence in Government Finance

 Job Creation

• responsible for the presentation and approval of the City’s property tax reform for business and tenants, and for the establishment of  the Mayor’s Economic Competitiveness Advisory Panel

Governance

• requested by the Mayor and confirmed by Council to assist in

• hiring the first Integrity Commissioner
• designing a new political structure for Council
• developing procedures so that Council will function efficiently and effectively

 Environmental Stewardship

• as Chair of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, responsible for the establishment of Toronto’s largest endowment for the environment on solid financial, legislative and political foundations. As Chair of the Investment Committee established a group of expert citizens who have achieved rates of return for environmental programs 5% above the rate of inflation

Culture

• responsible for the presentation and approval of projects from the Poet Laureate and the group Friends of the Poet Laureate. Examples include fundraising and establishing support for a Poet’s Park, the creation of Oscar Peterson Square, and other celebrations of Toronto's cultural heritage
• obtained Council approval for the creation of a Sculpture Park and $7.5m of cultural precinct enhancements at the Guild Inn and Gardens

Public Safety

• responsible for allocating the funding to build and operate Police Division 43 in eastern Scarborough
• established 396-GANG (416 396 4264) as a citywide service to report graffiti vandalism

 Ward Responsibilities

• implemented a customer service satisfaction program in which 94.4% of residents reported they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with constituency services
• attended the monthly meetings of all community associations in the ward, and worked to establish the formation of new community associations in underserved areas 
• participated in a scheduled ‘Meet & Greet’ program on weekends
• established a monthly eNews newsletter on local and City issues that was distributed to hundreds by email and has been copied by many