As crime rises, Chow defunds the police – and gives herself a raise
By Sue-Ann Levy
In the socialist world of Toronto mayor Olivia Chow, it seems to be quite acceptable to cut the police budget — while crime and violent protests plague the city — and give herself a nice 3.5% pay hike.
That’s only the half of it.
She is slated to take her pay hike, as is the entire council, while handing Toronto taxpayers as much as a 16.5% tax hike.
One has to wonder how many tax-paying residents are even making Chow’s mayoralty salary of $216,160, let alone getting a 3.5% raise this year.
Her 3.5% raise will take her salary to $223,725.
All 25 councillors are slated to also receive a 3.5% pay hike taking their salary to $124,719 — not including their benefits and a separate travel budget.
Meanwhile, the police budget, as proposed, is $12,615,000 lower than 2023. In other words, they won’t even be getting the same inflationary increase Chow is giving herself.
This is in a climate in which auto thefts were up 33.1% in 2023, assaults up 17.1% and break and enters up 19.8% compared to the year before.
As the police budget note says, hate crimes are also way up.
It is interesting to note that the $12-million taken away from the police appears to be going to Chow’s Community Service Response team pet project — a group of social workers who will not and cannot deal with the violent assaults, break-ins, auto thefts and vitriolic protests.