July 28, 2003
I can hear the reaction now when I write what I've been thinking for some time: "Tom Jakobek for Mayor!"
"But he lied!" some will say.
From 25 years of reporting on municipal government, experience tells me the shrillest screams are coming from miffed media and politicians, both of whom just happen to be at the bottom of the public's popularity ladder.
Jakobek lied to the media about being on a flight to Philadelphia to catch a Leaf's playoff game, and admitted he lied under testimony at the MFP computer lease judicial inquiry. How many politicians do you know who haven't lied?
The former budget chief was asked for advice about how to prevent another MFP computer lease scandal happening in Toronto at the inquiry, and he gave it. (So far only the Mirror community newspaper group, rather than the mainline media reported on it.)
The politicians and the media trying to control the mayoral campaign were miffed. And the Toronto Star notwithstanding, the outcome of municipal Election Day remains up to the public.
Some city politicians will say, hold on a minute, we thought Jakobek and Toronto Free Press were sworn enemies. Well, so were once Councillor Chris Korwyn-Kuczynski, ex-Coun. Tony O'Donohue and every New Democratic Party (NDP) politician in public office. KK, I consider these days to be one of the few councillors, along with Doug Holyday, Rob Ford, Gloria Lindsay-Luby and Paul Sutherland, who actually works for the taxpayer. I haven't heard from O'Donohue in years and will someday depart this planet feeling the same way about the spendthrift, holier-than-thou NDP.
Tom Jakobek for mayor?
You betcha!
My falling out with T.J. stemmed over my once running a front-page picture of his Porsche--complete with helicopter rotor blades. Worried about an aging fleet of police cruisers held together by bubblegum, the outspoken Toronto budget chief had described police helicopters as "boy toys."
Now this is a boy toy, said the front page of Toronto Free Press, ala Crocodile Dundee in his knife-brandishing movie scene.
No pushover, the budget chief opposed the purchase of a police helicopter on the basis that he would "rather put the money into more officers walking the beat."
In that chapter of TFP, Jakobek was doing his job and I was doing mine.
Why I want to see Tom Jakobek as mayor?
I care far more about the future of my home city of Toronto than I do about a long ago dispute with a politician.
This city was in $2-billion of debt before SARS came along. It's going to take someone who knows what he's doing to get Toronto going again, and Tom Jakobek's the man.
Sure, he's got what some media outlets have called a "sandpaper personality," says what he thinks and stays the course, no matter how tough the going.
Wouldn't you if you were a budget chief with the kind of councillors we keep re-electing to City Hall?
It takes vision, determination and a sandpaper personality to keep ego-driven politicians and wasteful civil servants towing the line.
The youngest school board trustee ever elected in Ontario, Tom Jakobek was a councillor for almost 20 years, spending almost the last decade as budget chief. As budget chief, he delivered or supported nine consecutive zero tax increase budgets.
While other mayoral candidates are pointing fingers at each other, Jakobek has an actual gameplan to get the City of Toronto out of $2 billion--and still growing--debt. He intends to sell off assets like Metro Hall and use the money to pay down our debt.
And that's just for openers. Instead of making vague accusations about city hall corruption, he's talking about taking the lead on issues like garbage collection, gridlock, homelessness and an aging population.
"Over 250 large trucks drive from Toronto to Michigan every day carrying Toronto's garbage," says the former budget chief. "That is 250 diesel engines waiting for hours to cross the border and polluting our air!"
Tom Jakobek wants garbage picked up efficiently, sorted and disposed--within Ontario. One of the first blue box programs began in the area he represented for 20 years.
"The current programs of separate blue box, garden waste, paper, green torpedo and regular garbage pickup is a failure and inefficient," he says, "Instead, I am going to advocate for a single pickup followed by central sorting plants. That will maximize our recycling and minimize the amount of garbage we produce."
That's T.J.'s sensible stand on just one local issue.
How do I rate the other candidates in the mayoral race?
Barbara Hall is a lefty travelling in Liberal clothes. As the mayor toppled by Mel Lastman, she's been there, done nothing and now wants a comeback.
John Tory should stick with making cable a better service. David Miller's another lefty who's costing us millions for a public inquiry that's getting no answers. John Nunziata, a Liberal opportunist and the real spoiler of the race. Nunziata's ego is paving a certain highway for the ultimate election of a left wing, anti-business mayor, at a time when Toronto needs it least of all.
If ever the City of Toronto needed a mayor who knows what's he's doing and someone to get us out of energy-killing debt, it's right now.
That's why I'm praying: Tom Jakobek for Mayor!
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
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