Transportation Subsidies

Transit Monday, December 7th, 2009

Various components of London’s most disadvantaged demographic have made repeated requests for an LTC subsidy without having much success. The issue is currently being examined again by the CSCP committee and a public participation meeting is planned.

An interesting offshoot of that file is now receiving special consideration because of the LTC strike.

A report prepared by the new City Clerk, Cathy Saunders, was submitted to the 2009/11/18 meeting of Board of Control. And according to that report:

A recent enquiry has been received requesting that consideration be given to reimbursing Advisory Committee members their costs to attend Advisory Committee meetings (including Working Group meetings, Sub-Committee meetings and attendance at Standing Committee meetings) by means of taxis during the London Transit Commission (LTC) work stoppage. The rationale behind the request is that those Advisory Committee members that would normally use conventional (LTC) or specialized (Paratransit) transit services may have difficulty attending meetings during the strike and therefore taxi usage should be made available to them at the City of London’s expense.

It should be pointed out that London’s City Council already provides advisory committee members with a limited subsidy. Specifically, they are entitled to either free parking in the Civic Square parking garage or two free L.T.C. bus tickets.

It should also be pointed out that other disadvantaged Londoners who want to attend at City Hall to make equally valid contributions (like making delegations to committees or webcasting committee meetings) are offered no special consideration at all. And it’s a difficulty that members of City Council are well aware of, given the fact that I’ve previously addressed it with them.

Board of Control passed this motion: “That the Civic Administration BE REQUESTED to consider measures to assist vulnerable persons or those with limited options that sit on City of London Advisory Committees.”

And this is how the discussion went at City Council:

Councillor Susan Eagle	On item 34…I see that civic administration has been requested to look at providing some assistance to vulnerable people with funding … and that includes people who have some physical disabilities. And especially with the transit strike right now, that’s been on the incline as a concern. Can you explain why, in terms of the response, and it seems to me that there’s some urgency to moving ahead on this, can I get some understanding of what the process is? Does this come back to Council? Or is civic administration simply to act on it?
City Clerk	Staff will be bringing a report to Board of Control to clarify how …
Councillor Susan Eagle	So it does require a motion by Board of Control … back from this?
Mayor Anne-Marie DeCicco-Best	I think that the Board gave the administration the ability to just go ahead. I don’t think that we were expecting a report to come back because we were clear in what direction we were moving in.
City Clerk	It requires a change to the … policy, however, in order …
Mayor Anne-Marie DeCicco-Best	So it’s the wording that must come back?
City Clerk	Yes.
Mr. Fielding	We’ll look after it. We’ll follow that.
Mayor Anne-Marie DeCicco-Best	It’ll be the next meeting.
Councillor Susan Eagle	The next meeting and then it can be acted upon? It can’t be approved retroactively?
Mayor Anne-Marie DeCicco-Best	I think that you may want to move some kind of motion that if anything happens between now and then, Council’s direction was very clear on this, and I don’t think that the delay should cost someone any money if they don’t have any way to get there. So, Ms Saunders or Ms Rowe, can you give us the appropriate amendment for 34? So that while you’re waiting for the change in wording, that you would go ahead and apply the policy for anyone who comes forward?
Councillor Susan Eagle	With that appropriate wording I’m happy to move that Mme Mayor.
Controller Bud Polhill	Second.
The Mayor calls a vote on the amendment and is passes without opposition.
The Mayor calls a vote on 28-34 as amended and everything passes without opposition.
Mayor Anne-Marie DeCicco-Best	For anybody who was here looking at ways in which to assist vulnerable people or those with limited options, if you have those issues they can currently go through the City Clerk’s office and … those.

From My Bottom Step