Deputation to Toronto Police Services Board item 4

Re: Toronto Police Service Efficiency Study Final Report

Jan, 20 2012 Dear Board Members of the Toronto Police Services Board:

I am resubmitting to the board of the T.P.S my original deputation to the Budget Committee last December 07 2011. (With amendments) I am attending a meeting of the Compliance Audit Committee schedule for Jan 20,2012 at 1:30 pm , I am hoping to make it on time to your board meeting and read out my deputation, If not I am sending this copy to the attention of the Board Secretary to distribute among the board members. I am copying this document to the General Manager Mr Pennacheti and members of City Council. =================================================================================== Deputation to Toronto Budget 2012 Dear Budget Committee Members: My name is Miguel Avila, A Latino Canadian and Taxpayer. I am here to speak up on the proposed service efficiencies to the Budget of 2012. Between Dec 02 2011 and Dec 06 (then and now) some serious, new motions are being recommended to Council on January 17, 2012 which I disagree totally. 1.- Charge $2.00 to attend Riverdale Farm that affects directly the Children. 2.- Charge of $2.00 for Pool Users that affects both parents and Children. 3.- Charge of $2.00 for use of DVD at the Library for both parents and Children 4.- Fare increase to T.T.C Children s Token 5.- Reduction of Meal Program for 14,000 underprivileged Children

The Committee expect solutions not rants, There are some solutions if you are keen to children Mr Del Grande. Mr. Del Grande you have been quoted on the media that this Budget Cuts are tough medicine to the City abc s, right?.

You have ordered a 10% reduction to all abc s agencies budgets ,Well most of them have listened to you , Not everyone except the Toronto Police Services , I am not surprise for years the T.P.S has been considered a Sacred Cow worshiped by previous City s Administrations at City Hall. Mr. Del Grande the T.P.S have been allowed to make 4.5% reduction this year and promising to make the following year in 2012 another 4.5% reduction because of Provincial legislation constraints. Well isn t this fair and just to Toronto Taxpayers?. The T.P.S budget is the singles most expensive budget item, this year budget request is near to $933.781 and has intentions of initiating recruitments starting April 2012 so the so called reduction of staff is a temporary measure. The General Manager Mr Penachetii sent a memo to the T.P.S Board last November 17 2011 requesting the T.P.S Board to examine at their board meeting of last November 24 2011 a Service Efficiency Study prepared by Ernst and Young . I have contacted the T.P.S Board for a board decision on this regards but it is difficult to get an answer it s like trying to pull a teeth from a Dinosaur . It appears the item was deferred at the last meeting of the T.P.S Board November 24,2011 I was in attendance yesterday and to my surprise a motion directing to the City s Transportation Department to put a limit cap to the Paid Duty Service not greater than $200.000 a year was an item for voting consideration.. I am not sure if this motion was passed or rejected by the committee. It would be interesting to know what amount in the budget has been set aside to deal with Paid Duty Cost to the City. Another item of interest is the ever growing cost of the T.P.S own investigation into the G20 Fiasco:

Independent Civilian Review into Matters Relating to the G20 Summit this particular P.R Exercise billing is costing Toronto Taxpayers $658,211 and growing Mind you Mr. Del Grande, I know the result of this report is a waste of taxpayers money. This money could be better put to use to feed our poor children. I understand that a Citizens Review has been the call from Torontonians into the G20 , By far a much cheaper investigation. But the T.P.S Board rejected the idea. At the Bill keeps going higher and higher

Another solution to deal with the proposed charges to our Children is to demand , yes Mr Del Grande demand Mr. Murkejee and Chief Blair to abide by the decision of this committee to make the 10% cut reduction to the T.P.S Budget how? Simple reduce CIVILIAN staff at the T.P.S I understand they are not subject to any Provincial Legislation so the cuts can be achieved. Also further cuts can be achieved if the T.P.S Board annual budget can be examined by an independent firm to seek further efficiencies.

Mr Murkejee decision is a blatant defiance to the Citys Taxpayers wishes to see a reduction of money to the T.P.S Budget, I quote his letter dated Jan 06 2012 to the board: item 5 on todays agenda: ..the Board should not expend resources at this time on an additional study of the staffing complement In other words the Boards Chair does not agree with staff reductions clearly identified on the Ernst and Young report The media has also informed Toronto Taxpayers last Jan 02, 2011 the following (absurdity) :
Another perk for Toronto police is a retention pay bonus, which starts at three per cent of salary after eight years on the job. For a first-class constable this amounts to about $2,500 per year with eight years experience, rising to a bonus of $7,500 annually for an officer with at least 23 years on the job. It also informs Toronto Taxpayers that the salary of a first-class constable will rise to just over $90,000 in 2014, under the terms of the collective agreement ratified last spring. The overall benefit package adds 27 per cent to the total cost for each officer, according to data published by the Toronto Police Services Board.

The above perks and benefits put a put a strain on the citys budget. Sacrificing Kids programs, Childcare spaces to appease the hunger of the T.P.S Board and its Union. Is not acceptable and its an insult to Toronto Taxpayers lets consider the cost to cover the policing during Occupy Toronto is it justifiable to waste $641,000 on Toronto Officers Salaries and Benefits for 4.5 weeks??? .. I would have suggested to the Board if allowed to contract out the services of a Security Company do the SAME job for a fraction!.

In Memory of Charles McGuillivary August 2011

Yours Truly,

Miguel Avila Toronto Taxpayer