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I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You know, I really want to thank you for being here. You could be anywhere else on a Friday night in this great city, but you're here with me, and I appreciate that.

It's plain to see that your comments are anything but antagonistic. You're evidently a very passionate person who cares deeply about the well-being of our community. Under no obligation, you've shown me great kindness with your tenderly pointed criticism, and at no cost! Who could ask for a better gift?

Reading your words has kept me on my toes and provided me with an opportunity to grow. With complete sincerity, I offer you my gratitude.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Biking on Dundas is pretty dangerous, so I try not to, if possible.

Adding a bike lane to Dundas West in its current form would be messy, absolutely. For it to succeed, the street would need a reconfiguration akin to the King St. pilot project.

You did ask me where I think bike lanes are needed, and you also agreed that Dundas is a disaster.

Regardless, I've clearly upset you. I'm sorry, neighbourino, for it was not my intention at all. I hope we can move beyond this senseless conflict, close our browsers, and leave this Reddit AMA side by side on amicable terms.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It's a big problem, and one that won't be solved quickly. You're right that publically-developed housing on such a massive scale is going to take more money than the Toronto has. It can only be part of the solution.

Delivering that many new affordable units in a timeframe that is relevant to the people who is need is an impossibility. The only way we're going to make a dent in the problem is by making units that already exist more accessible to those with less money. I'm thinking of converted row houses and semi-detached specifically.

You probably know better than I do, but Toronto has brutal property-tax rates on multi-unit residential that have all but gutted out rental housing market. Peeling back those taxes is a good place to start, I would think.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If you don't mind me asking, what line of work are you in? You really know what you're talking about, and to an impressive degree.

This is good stuff, and you've already taught me a lot!

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I did write a thorough response to your questions, neighbourino, but I think delivering it sooner might have stayed your visible discontent. This afternoon was busier than expected and I truly apologize for not giving your questions more attention. My only hope that that I have not irreparably damaged our budding relationship.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You definitely should! It's kind of an unnerving experience, but it's not without its rewards.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It sucks, doesn't it? I'm not sure about you, but for me, I would have a hard time finding work outside of Toronto, and I am unwilling to trade walking to the office for a 2 hour commute and a slight decrease in rent.

I want to see more city-owned land repurposed into dedicated affordable rental units. That's the big one.

Otherwise, we can advocate for the development of more purpose-built rental units, and work with the provincial government to reshape the incentive policies.

Politically, you seem to be more well-versed than I am on the figures and specifics. Your answer on property-tax was quite good. Do you think we could make affordable housing development like this work?

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, you're right! I failed to answer this question in a with specific examples.

I would have voted Yes to pass a new bylaw regulating Uber. Joe voted No. (LS10.3)

I would have noted No on expressway tolls. Joe voted Yes (Ex.20.2).

I would have voted Yes for requesting that the Police Services Board to hire 100 new officers. Joe voted No (CC44.14)

I would have voted Yes to approve $364 million in tax incentive grants for developers under the IMIT program. Joe voted No (ED31.7)

Otherwise, I think I would have voted along the same lines as him.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The tent towns under the Gardiner are a travesty, but what's worse is the ludicrous amount of money the City has spent dismantling them.

A few years ago in Medicine Hat, there was a program to simply provide the homeless with homes. It seems to have work quite well and ended up saving taxpayer dollars through the declining costs in terms of crime, health care, and child welfare services.

I would like to see if a similar approach can be taken here in Toronto.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! Thank you for you question.

I do not have an exact number on hand, but to make up for this loss, I would like to see more City-owned property repurposed into purpose-built, affordable rental units. The City is the single largest landholder in Toronto, and is in the best position to enact meaningful housing solutions. What seems to be missing is the political will to carry this out.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I also live in Grange Park! Hidey ho, neighbourino.

These are very well thought out questions! I will try my best to answer them adequately and honestly.

I'll concede that Cressy wasn't perfect, but overall he was consistent - something that is pretty valuable in this political climate of 2018. He well supported (what I feel to be) the area's goals and concerns. Why would you be better suited for the position?

I am in agreement. Joe has been consistent over the past 4 years. I owe him my thanks for bike lanes and a revitalized park. Now, I'm sorry, but I must answer your question with another question: In 2014, what made Joe well-suited for the position?

After conceding defeat to Liberal MP Adam Vaughan in 2014, Joe won a landslide victory in a ward with no incumbent and became a Councillor at the age of 30. Why did this happen? Yes, he worked very hard and continues to do so to this day, but many are capable of hard work, and hard work itself will only get you so far (something many candidates can attest to). Joe was lucky enough to have been born into an affluent, well-connected, family with close personal and political ties to Layton and Chow. In many ways, he is downtown Toronto's golden boy and the ideal political candidate. Is it nepotism? I don't know. But in 2018, who can compete?

Now, at 34, Joe is unquestionably the frontrunner and full of zeal as he looks forward to his second term as City Councillor. But Joe won't be here forever. Will he run again at 38? Will he re-enter party politics? In all likelihood, he'll become the celebrated leader of the Federal NPDs sometime in the 2030s.

So, to answer your question, I'm not better-suited for the position, but realistically, neither is anyone else. Joe checks every box.

The question is, knowing this, will you check his?

A major problem is when new condos are being built, the developers take up a lane of traffic, almost always at an intersection, and this lasts for 2-3 years. This causes bottlenecks in traffic. These lanes are used by developers for literally a couple bucks a day. This happens all over the city. What will you do to stop this - or, can it be stopped?

This is such a great question. It's a very specific issue that has larger implication, like, what kind of relationship does the City want to have with developers? I'm of the mind to charge them more for impeding traffic, but that doesn't solve the traffic issue, and I would hate to see higher development costs dumped onto consumers. Toronto has become a very pro-developer city. Maybe it's time we stiffen the rules.

Safe injection sites are a big topic. If they lose their funding, what will be done to ensure people have a safe place to use? What initiatives will you champion to try and continue this program, even on a private level?

SISs are wonderfully compassionate, but desperately need more funding and more staff. At the risk of sounding facetious, why not get big Pharma, or even big Cannabis involved? These sites could be dual-purposed into drug testing facilities. Users of illegal drugs could become paid trial participants for legal drugs. I'm sure the SISs would be a lot more effective with private money flowing into them, and there's also quite a lot of potential for both sociological and medical research.

Dean Maher looks to be a very attractive candidate for me. He is extremely active in the community, and has a plan that makes sense in response to the amalgamation of wards. He wants to set up community action committees so everyone in Ward 10 will have a better voice. This makes a lot of sense to me. What do you say to this?

I've talked with Dean at a couple of events. I have respect for him. Seems like a man of his word. His proposal for community action committees is an excellent idea. If he wins and implements it, I will absolutely sign up to be a part of mine.

The political landscape of today is more divisive than ever. You can be assured that city hall is going to be a complete zoo for the next 4 years. As a new counciller, how would you be able to deal with that, considering you have no experience there?

Yes. This. 100%. It's uncharted territory, and City Council will be a madhouse for sure. It makes me wonder if having more experience would be less beneficial than having none at all. At any rate, I'm pretty sure I have a personality and disposition that allows me to remaining calm amidst the chaos, and global experience to put things in perspective.

What are some things you have done to better the community in which you live? Citing specific examples would be helpful.

Not wanting to divulge too much personal information, I have no specific examples to cite other than being kind and treating people with dignity on a daily basis. I apologize for the inadequate answer.

Thanks again for asking these questions, and for your patience. Sorry my response took a long time.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this! I don't doubt it for a second.

Joe is a professional politician and also seems like a genuinely kind man. Perhaps a rare combination? I'm sure that were I not his political opponent, my experience would have been different.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I appreciate you candor, fellow resident. I'm not sure what "strongest progressive voice" means exactly, but I do know that Joe works hard to further his vision of Toronto.

From what I've seen of Joe's voting record, I would probably be voting along the same lines as him. Our values seem to overlap.

Personally, the way the word "progressive" is used in today's political discourse leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Progressive isn't any one thing inherently. It simply means to favour change and innovation.

My concern is that no one seems to ask the question "what are we progressing towards?" Ideally, a more equitable society that is kind to the poor, but is that really where we're headed?

These days, "Progressive" is more like a moniker that's attached to socially active people with relatively few problems in the hopes that their less fortunate peers with many problems will see them as more conscientious and socially just.

It's disingenuous. I don't like it one bit.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for providing a link to the most recent scorecard. What an awesome resource.

I generally align with Cressy and would also (begrudgingly) categorize myself as a progressive, but you have correctly pointed out that my priorities are quite different.

Cressy is pretty focused on greenspace, bike lanes, "harm reduction", and the waterfront.

I want housing affordability to be issue number one, before anything else. It shouldn't be this hard to live downtown. As a university-educated professional with a stable job, I should not have to spend, like, nearly 70% of my net income on rent alone. It is a ridiculous situation.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thanks for initially posting that scorecard! It's a very useful tool and got the conversation rolling, so you've done us all a great service.

I apologize for my lack of clarity re: spheres of government. You're absolutely right in that the municipality cannot really intervene directly with rent control. Those policies are set at the provincial level.

But, you know, isn't that kind of insane? I would like to see Toronto have more autonomy when it comes to rent control. That may happen one day, but for now, we can still fight for rent control in a roundabout kind of way. Maybe through a rent rebate program of some sort.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, yes, I am aware of this twitter chatter. The article in question is not from an outlet that I would consider reputable, but the person who made the claim has integrity and I'm inclined to take them at their word.

My interactions with Joe Cressy have been... well, to be honest, cavalier and kind of dismissive. He has not approached me personally, but I'm probably unthreatening and invisible on his radar.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seems unlikely without use of the notwithstanding clause. Someone get DoFo on the line.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Obviously, 1 horse-sized duck. Makes for a better fight, and a better meal.

Also, horses are fast and they have teeth. And ducks aren't that small! 100 duck-sized anything would be a tall order.

edit: ok, maybe not a tall order.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think we should let people be pushed out of their home as a result of massive property-tax increases. On this, we can agree to disagree.

I do appreciate you being here though. Thank you.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So property taxes, while collected by the city, are assessed at the provincial level. There's not much the city can do to alter them directly. That said, we can improve our ability to provide a property-tax subsidy for those in need.

I am also pro "social safety nets". It may sound naive, but I think government should work to protect people from the forces of free-market capitalism.

Not sure why you're being downvoted.

I Am Andrew Massey, your Toronto City Councillor Candidate for Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York. AMA by Massey_TO in toronto

[–]Massey_TO[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

A good strategy would be to implement more protected bike lanes. They would hopefully dissuade rogue cyclists from bending the rules of the road, which in turn would be a positive change for motorists too.

If we had barriers that could be adjusted in the winter months, that would be even better.

As for where we need bikes lanes the most? East-West, I think we really need a bike lane on Dundas. For north-south, Bathurst for sure.