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Wednesday’s council meeting had a touch of craziness. From toilets to selling Toronto’s parks, Chris Selley recounts what he heard:

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Overheard at City Hall during the budget debate Back to video

Glenn de Baeremaeker, referring to a toilet sitting on his desk in front of him, making his case against ending a city subsidy for low-flow toilets

: “This is a three-litre toilet. It’s a miracle.”

Speaker Frances Nunziata, who couldn’t hear him

: “Talk to the microphone, not to the toilet.”

Mr. De Baeremaker

: “That’s good advice, Speaker.”

Ms. Nunziata, after Mr. De Baeremaeker finished speaking

: “Thank you, Councillor de Baeremaeker, and thank you to your toilet.”

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Gord Perks, introducing an eventually unsuccessful motion to raise $3.5-million more in property tax to avoid TTC bus route cuts, the closure of the Urban Affairs library and other service cuts

: “Even if 100% of this $3.5-million was put onto the residential class … it would amount to a tax increase of about 0.15%, in rough terms. That means that if you’re a homeowner in a fairly good home, and pay say $6,000 in property taxes, this would cost you in all of 2011 $9. You can’t even see a movie for $9. I think Toronto has enough wealth. I think Torontonians, who recently received $60-plus back from the city, who understand that we have inflationary pressures on our budget, who understand that government is a civilizing force in our society, are prepared to pay $9 to make sure there are no service cuts in this budget.”