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Mayor Ford, however, is not in favour.

“I’m not supporting any of those revenue tools,” he told reporters at city hall. “The people can’t afford these taxes. That’s all it is: tax, tax, tax. The city is expensive enough to live in; we don’t need extra taxes.”

The report quotes an Ipsos Reid survey that found 85% of respondents believe new revenues are required to fund transportation expansion. Metrolinx wants to raise $2-billion a year with new revenue tools, which equals on average $860 for each household across the GTHA.

Councillor Doug Ford downplayed the difference of opinion between the administration and the top bureaucrat, noting that Mr. Pennachetti is “not our puppet.”

“I love Joe Pennachetti, he’s done a fabulous job for the city, but he doesn’t have go there and knock on doors and talk to each and every person in this city, when they’re working their back off,” said Councillor Ford.

“Why [doesn’t the province] start knuckling down and start finding efficiencies.”

TTC Chair Karen Stintz stressed the decision to impose revenue tools will be the province’s, but city council should give its advice. She expressed concern about a parking levy because of its unknown impact on small business. It makes sense to consider tolls later on, Ms. Stintz argued, once some of the transit projects are complete and people have more transportation options.

Councillor Gord Perks raised another red flag: that in all the talk about funding transit expansion, little attention is paid to what it will cost to run the new system.

Mr. Pennachetti, meanwhile, acknowledged that the mayor and other councillors feel strongly about the need to cut back spending at the provincial level to fund transit. “That’s their opinion,” he said. From his perspective, such a move simply won’t be enough. “It’s very difficult to fund $2b a year without some further revenues,” he said.