A right-wing advocacy group is making a case for using dollars from a Toronto casino to build subways.A policy paper released Sunday by the Toronto Taxpayers Coalition argues that a “Transit Funding Trifecta” of “innovative revenue sources” could bring in as much as $400 million a year for the city’s subway system without costing taxpayers a cent.
According to the group, the windfall — enough, they argue, to build one kilometre of underground subway tunnel and one subway station a year — would come from a hosting fee for having a casino within Toronto’s borders, as well as collecting revenue from licensed gambling tables in bars and restaurants and from those gambling on the OLG website within city limits.
“This is a way we can look to the new economy and get funding for a world-class subway network without increasing the burden on taxpayers,” said coalition president Matthew McGuire on Sunday.
The group’s plan is based on the premise that a casino somewhere in the GTA is a foregone conclusion. If Toronto says no and a casino pops up nearby, “We will have all of the negative consequences and all of the social problems. But we will forfeit the control and we will forfeit the revenue,” said McGuire.
The $400 million figure seems ambitious, particularly because the city was told last week that a hosting fee has dropped to an estimated $50 million to $100 million.
McGuire said the onus should be on city council to show leadership and get more.
“We can leverage the city’s influence and size as well as OLG’s desire for a casino to negotiate very aggressively in the best interest of taxpayers,” he said.
Reached Sunday, city councillor and casino opponent Joe Mihevic (Ward 21, St. Paul’s West) said he felt the coalition was “acting as an agent for Mayor Ford.”
Mihevic said a casino in the GTA is not a guarantee. “Most residents are telling me that they don’t want a casino, and the province has told us they will only put a casino in a city willing to host,” he said.
He added that building a kilometre of underground subway and a station would cost closer to $600 million. “Most importantly, right now we don’t have a subway that we’ve approved,” he said.
As for the idea of licensing gambling tables in bars or hotels, Mihevic doesn’t think that’s an option.
“This is a proposal to make us the Las Vegas of the north,” he said. “From a public acceptability point of view it is totally, totally unfeasible and I suspect it will attract a strong negative reaction.”
The left-leaning councillor also questioned how the group, which represents taxpayers, could defend casinos, “the ultimate tax grab that exists.”
Given that 40 per cent of revenue from casinos comes from gambling addicts, “How it can support a tax on the vulnerable and the poor of our communities seems to run counter to their position,” he said.
The coalition plans to present their report during public consultations at City Hall this week.
City council is expected to vote on a casino in April.
Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Jayme Poisson
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