Mayor Rob Ford shut down the Sheppard Ave. transit debate Wednesday night to stop council from voting for light rail and then fled into an elevator to escape reporters’ questions.

The bizarre scene, described as “scattered and desperate” by centrist councillor Josh Colle, included Ford failing to delay the vote until April 4 — a bid that triggered mayhem on the council floor. The council meeting resumes Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

Ford allies denying routine permission to let last night’s meeting run past 8 p.m. also apparently prevented another spectacle — a mayor who rode to victory pledging to “end the war on the car,” publicly supporting creation of a $100-per-spot tax on commercial parking spots to fund subway building.

Council’s centre and left members who support LRT on Sheppard were fuming after Ford bolted down a hall into an elevator, a press aide blocking reporters scrambling behind.

“You can’t make this stuff up,” said Councillor Joe Mihevc. “People were witness to a filibuster that was shameless,” and will backfire, he said.

Scarborough Councillor Glenn de Baeremaeker called the 13.5-hour delay “a very desperate tactic by a very desperate man. The mayor saw defeat just minutes away and just said ‘Let me escape.’”

He noted Councillor Mike Del Grande’s proposal to raise $100 million per year through a parking levy was tabled Wednesday with no public notice, consultation or the reports that usually precede even minor new policy.

“We have the votes to win right now,” and approve LRTs, he added. “That’s why the mayor panicked and ran out the back door. The mayor chickened out. Unfortunately for him, we’re coming back and the vote will take place.”

Colle, a key centrist courted by Ford’s office after he said he would consider a reasonable subway funding plan, shook his head.

“I’m not sure if the mayor’s going to support (the parking levy) himself. He didn’t speak to it. Is he going to support the increase in parking levies? I don’t know . . .,” Colle said.

“Whether you blame it on the left or the right, this is exactly what people despise about City Hall. This is what people believe is inefficient and it was proved in spades at the end of the meeting today.”

Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, a staunch Ford ally, made no apologies.

“The objective today was to try to stop a vote from taking place that would clearly be against the administration’s will with respect to subways,” he told reporters.

“You never know what will happen over the next 12 hours . . . I will do what it takes to stop LRTs.”

Councillor Peter Milczyn, who is prepared to vote for Ford’s subway plan, said officials told him the mayor supports the parking levy. “I think Toronto residents would like to hear from the mayor on any new fees or taxes that come in,” he said.

The rowdy scene capped 11 hours of sometimes bitter debate over how to spend the province’s promised $8.4 billion for Toronto transit expansion.

Council voted last month to tear up Ford’s subway-based plan and instead revert to a form of his predecessor’s Transit City, with a light rail line on Finch Ave. and raising the Eglinton crosstown line east of Laird Ave.

The thorny question of Sheppard — Ford campaigned on a subway for Scarborough — was left until Wednesday, after an expert panel reported. It firmly backed light rail, saying ridership and density don’t justify a subway and the cheaper light rail frees up money for the Finch line.

Del Grande said revenue from the parking levy, combined with $988 million already pledged from senior governments, would get the Sheppard subway extended from Don Mills to Scarborough Town Centre by 2020.

The city’s chief financial officer said relying on a parking levy alone to build that extension would add $1.7 billion to the city’s debt. But Del Grande insisted it can be built “pay as you go.” Pressed, he cited extra revenue from development charges and other revenue tools not yet proposed.

TTC chair Karen Stintz, who is leading the pro-LRT side of council, said the parking tax, coupled with pressure on senior governments for more funds, is not a financial plan.

“We’re talking about 40 years of tax revenue to continue the (Sheppard) line and I don’t think the residents of Scarborough want to wait 40 years. The issue before council today is: We have $1 billion. Do we build two kilometres (of subway) to Victoria Park, wait for 40 years, or do we take the $1 billion and actually deliver transit to Scarborough,” Stintz told reporters.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Councillor James Pasternak, who wants a subway on Sheppard, said the parking levy could work but the city would have to exempt owners of small strip malls. Also, it needs to be region-wide so Toronto businesses aren’t at a competitive disadvantage.

“What’s before us is $100 per spot per year. I think that’s a little onerous. I don’t think that’s fair to the small strip mall or shopping centre operations.”

With files from Paul Moloney