November 10, 2007: THE NATIONAL POST

By: PETER REDMAN
      

To mark the one-year anniversary of the Nov. 13, 2006, Toronto election, the National Post presents its first annual City Hall report card. Which councillors had a stellar year? Who slid off the radar? And how did Mayor David Miller fare? Reporters James Cowan and Kelly Grant, who covered city council this year, and Toronto columnist Peter Kuitenbrouwer graded the Mayor and all 44 councillors on how effectively they advanced their agendas in 2006-2007.

Paul Ainslie, Ward 43 Scarborough East (B): As the lone right-wing voice on the budget committee, he tried but failed to curb council spending on snacks and coffee, proving he understands how council perks grate on Torontonians. Mr. Ainslie is smart, but too quiet on council. He can and should be a stronger opposition voice.

Maria Augimeri, Ward 9 York Centre (D): Her heart is in the right place, but she's devoid of political savvy. She changed her mind publicly four times on the tax issue before voting against the vehicle fee and in favour of the land-transfer tax in October.

Sandra Bussin, Ward 32 Beaches-East York (C): She's had a wobbly start as council's first official speaker. She can't always exert control and plays favourites, catering to the left-leaning majority.

Shelley Carroll, Ward 33 Don Valley East (C): Poor Ms. Carroll. Intelligent, energetic and gracious, she took over as budget chief just as the city hit a financial wall. But someone has to take responsibility for Toronto's money woes. As budget chief, she wears this one.

Raymond Cho, Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River (D): His motions and council speeches are rarely well thought out.

Janet Davis, Ward 31 Beaches-East York (B-): She was the Mayor's default choice for an at-large opening on the executive. She is a union mouthpiece, but if you like your politics served on the left, her elevation to the executive means she is growing more effective.

Mike Del Grande, Ward 39 Scarborough-Agincourt (B): A former accountant, Mr. Del Grande is good at pointing out savings. He gave his raise to charity. He's a grouch; too much of a misanthrope to make a real difference.

Frank Di Giorgio, Ward 12 York South-Weston (Incomplete): Frank who? He barely registers at council and we can't point to a single thing he's done this year that's made the news.

Mike Feldman, Ward 10 York Centre (C-): Did some work behind the scenes to oppose the new taxes, but seems barely interested in council.

John Filion, Ward 23 Willowdale (B): The low-key chair of the Board of Health made healthy street food a personal crusade this year. And he won. The province relented and will allow local vendors to sell food other than hot dogs at carts on the street.

Paula Fletcher , Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth (B): Shepherded the controversial dog park plan through council with minimal fuss.

Rob Ford, Ward 2 Etobicoke North (C+): If he didn't exist we'd have to invent him. Great at expressing Joe Average's outrage with councillors' perks and outrageous city spending, such as free booze and cigarettes for the homeless, but does not play well with others and hasn't had an impact, which limits his effectiveness.

Adam Giambrone, Ward 18 Davenport (C+): Council's boy wonder has had his ups and downs since becoming TTC boss. He won praise for the Transit City light-rail plan, but cried wolf on closing the Sheppard subway line and presided over a fare increase. He has a bit of a tin ear in the ward; totally misread local opinion on the Matador expropriation. Wins extra point for the Queen West Triangle deal and for riding public transit everywhere.

Suzan Hall, Ward 1 Etobicoke North (B): Usually, she hardly makes a ripple at City Hall. This year the veteran Etobicoke councillor moved the deferral motion that set off the summer tax crisis. Council nearly tore itself apart, but the deferral forced the city to take a hard look at its books and taught the Mayor to bend.

Adrian Heaps , Ward 35 Scarborough Southwest (B): A promising career ahead. He pruned the unwieldy bike committee and recognized he was too green to accept the Mayor's offer of an executive seat.

Doug Holyday , Ward 3 Etobicoke North (B+): Very coherent in his fight to maintain industrial jobs in Etobicoke, and fight off those who would rezone employment lands for housing. He keeps a watchful eye on every cent that flows out of City Hall and performed well when council attacked him for underspending.

Cliff Jenkins, Ward 25 Don Valley West (C): Yes, he is right that Toronto should raise its development charges. But being on council requires points of view on more than one issue.

Norm Kelly, Ward 40 Scarborough Agincourt (B-): Captain Scarborough. He does good work burnishing the image of his community, but sold out his right-of-centre values for a spot on the executive.

ChinLee, Ward41Scarborough-Rouge River (Incomplete): This rookie flies too far below the radar to grade.

Gloria Lindsay Luby, Ward 4 Etobicoke Centre (B-): Should admit publicly that the city does not have the expertise or the cash to revitalize Union Station, and support selling the place to GO Transit. Makes the odd flighty public comment (nut salad, anyone?) but is effective as the lone voice of occasional dissent on the executive committee.

Giorgio Mammoliti, Ward 7 York West (D-): Attacked Ford and Holyday for spending too little, tried to travel to Budapest for a conference with the zoo board while the travel ban was on, spent most of his office budget by midyear and suggested Toronto Island be home to a brothel. Enough said.

Pam McConnell, Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale (B-): Works hard in a difficult ward. She has the Regent Park redevelopment and a boatload of development applications on her plate; has slid off the radar a bit at City Hall.

Joe Mihevc, Ward 21 St. Paul's (B-): One of the smartest guys on council's left-wing. He was on the correct side of the St. Clair streetcar issue; hung onto his seat despite local objections to the project and a challenge from former mayor John Sewell. Seems to be resting on his laurels since then.

Peter Mi lczyn , Ward 5 Etobicoke-Lakeshare (B): He has the potential to be more effective. Delivered the most coherent and convincing antitax speech in October debate.

Ron Moeser , Ward 44 ScarboroughEast (Incomplete): Here's another of those councillors you've never heard of ??

Howard Moscoe, Ward 15 Eglinton-Lawrence (B-): After being handed the licensing and standards file -- a portfolio well-suited to his trademark meddling -- we have heard little from Moscoe this year. His battle with the airport taxi industry has turned into a quagmire.

Frances Nunziata, Ward 11 York South-Weston (C+): Works diligently in her ward, especially in her battle to land a community centre for Weston, but she's given to shrill, occasionally ridiculous behaviour in council. See the yellow ribbon debacle, which she called the worst thing the city has ever done.

Case Ootes, Ward 29 Toronto-Danforth (B): A smart and experienced dissenting voice. He shouldn't waste his skills on fripperies like the luxury RV park and roundabouts studies.

Cesar Palacio, Ward 17 Davenport (D): Made his pitch for a city-owned casino in the wake of city's financial difficulties and occasionally offers his thoughts in writing but otherwise too quiet to be heard by the masses.

Joe Pantalone, Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina (B-): His two big ward projects, the new piazza at the Princes' Gates at Exhibition Place, and the new gates at Trinity-Bellwoods park, are a bit underwhelming, and he has not done much with residents' concerns about Little Italy turning into a club strip. Gets points as Tree Advocate and for quiet power behind the throne in mayor's office.

John Parker, Ward 26 Don Valley West (C): This understated new councillor seems to be waiting for the right opportunity to strike. One year gone. Three more to go.

Gord Perks, Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park (B): A new bright light on the left. He's a very hard-working member of the budget committee but why didn't Miller appoint this coherent transit advocate, who doesn't even own a car, to the TTC?

Anthony Perruzza , Ward 8 York West (D+): Three months to debate the land-transfer and vehicle taxes and Mr. Perruzza couldn't make up his mind until the day of the October vote?

Kyle Rae, Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale (B-): Never saw a condo project he didn't love, but at what point is his ward overdeveloped? Is 80 storeys too tall for the Bazis building at Yonge and Bloor streets? Wouldn't an office tower be more appropriate on that corner? Wins points, though, for sticking with Yonge-Dundas Square.

Bill Saundercook, Ward 13 Parkdale-High Park (C): Instrumental in giving local community groups voice during the outdoor ice rink debate, but took a misguided approach to solving the city's problems by pitching a water bottle tax.

David Shiner, Ward 24 Willowdale (D-): Phoned it in until he ran for the Tories in the provincial election, then had to be hounded into taking a leave of absence during the campaign.

Michael Thompson, Ward 37 Scarborough Centre (C): Smart Scarborough councillor has taken his swipes at the Mayor, but political correctness prevents him from landing a punch.

Michael Walker, Ward 22 St. Paul's (B-): Highly principled, but can't seem to win council support for any of his ideas.

---

THE SIX STANDOUTS

The Garbage Man: Glenn De Baeremaeker, Ward 38 Scarborough Centre (A-): He bikes everywhere. His enthusiasm, if hard to comprehend -- can anyone seriously be that excited about public works? -- is infectious. He spearheaded the new pay-as-you-throw garbage/70% diversion plan, a big win for the longtime environmentalist.

The Deal Maker: Mark Grimes, Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore (A-): The surprise performer of 2006-2007. He was underwhelming at council until he stuck his neck out and forged a compromise on the October tax vote.

The Critic: Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ward 34 Don Valley East (A-): Miller's City Hall cried out for an opposition leader and this year, after failing to live up to his potential in past terms, Mr. Minnan-Wong emerged as the smart, hard-working voice of the right. But he would have done better in the tax fight if he had offered alternatives to the land-transfer and vehicle-registration taxes instead of efficiencies vagueness.

Most Improved: Karen Stintz, Ward 16 Eglinton-Lawrence (A-): A young, bright voice on the right. She found her feet this year, offering concrete alternatives to the land-transfer and vehicle registration fees.

The Rebel: Brian Ashton, Ward 36 Scarborough Southwest (B+): The wittiest guy in the Giant Clam. He wins points for having the guts to defy the Mayor on the tax vote. Unfortunately, the move got him booted from the executive committee, meaning both he and the executive are less effective.

Rookie of the Year: Adam Vaughan, Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina (B+): This newcomer has proved a pleasant surprise. He agitated for the taxes without becoming a Miller lackey. He is battling clubland and is determined to keep families in his downtown ward. A great addition to council.