Andy Gort, president of the South Eglinton Ratepayers and Residents Association (SERRA) has written to say that a “large majority” of respondents to a SERRA poll expressed objections to the reduction in the number of Council members enacted by the Legislature. They felt that the new size of the wards will impact the level of representation needed in the City. They also felt that Premier Ford’s claim of “for the people” rings hollow since there was no consultation with residents. They suspect Ford had singled out the City of Toronto for Council reduction as a personal vendetta. Gort said comments in favour of a smaller council were almost exclusively related to the sense that City Council tended to be slow in making important decisions and Councillors engaged in self-promotion during debates. SERRA’s position continues to be that a reduction in council members will seriously affect its level of representation, which in an area like South Eglinton, with all its development, will be a significant loss.
