The hottest City Council Substack posts right now

The Quality of Life Team, also known as the Garbage Police, is used to police homeless people, showing a concerning and widely misunderstood approach by the city council.
The Garbage Police focus on removing homeless encampments, treating homeless individuals as a blight rather than addressing the actual root causes of homelessness.
There is a lack of political will to address homelessness and public housing conditions, with significant implications for larger societal issues around housing and equity.

City Council meeting in October 2023 included decisions on Uber, vacant home tax, blue box, and more.
190 decisions were made, with 154 approved as is, 25 with tweaks, and some postponed and sent to committee for further discussion.
City Council's work resulted in productive outcomes within a short span of time.

Short-term lobbying efforts are being made on a long-term plan in Toronto.
The City Hall Watcher post discusses tax reactionaries, snow removal, pet licensing, and more, along with a special City Council preview.
Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial subscription to City Hall Watcher.

There's an upcoming preliminary election in Worcester that local residents should participate in to choose candidates for various district races.
The city's district maps for different council and committee races are confusing, causing challenges for voters to identify their respective districts.
Specific candidate endorsements were made for District 1, District 2, District 4, District 5 City Council, and District E School Committee races.

The 2023 mayoral election in Toronto has begun with 27 candidates registered, including notable names like Ana Bailão and Councillor Josh Matlow.
The registration window for the by-election to replace John Tory on June 26 is now open.
Councillor Stephen Holyday has not registered for the mayoral race as of now.

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The Ontario Sunshine List data can provide interesting insights on city salaries and job title trends.
Firefighters saw significant salary increases over the past four years, reflecting a notable trend within the data analyzed.
During the Toronto Council meeting preview, it was highlighted that the city faces a major financial crisis and discussed various agenda items, including the upcoming mayoral election.

The importance of transit-oriented development in addressing housing needs and housing policy challenges in regions like Alexandria.
Advocacy for zoning reforms and the need to view each other positively and collaboratively in solving the housing crisis.
Engagement in community planning and promoting diverse housing options to create inclusive, thriving neighborhoods.