Rob Ford: doing more for the public in one week than his predecessor did in two terms

Today, at the urging of newly elected Toronto mayor Rob Ford, city council abolished the much despised annual Vehicle Registration Tax.

Elimination of the tax was one of Ford's main campaign promises.

Another was to reduce city councilor's budgets from the current rate of over $50,000 per year to $30,000. The new council also passed that measure.

During the election campaign, Ford also promised to work towards the elimination of the city's "Fair Wage" policy. The policy compels outside contracts to the city to pay employees at the same rate as municipal unionized workers, thus eliminating much of the financial benefit of using outside contracts at a cost of millions to the taxpayers of Toronto.

According to the Globe and Mail: City council voted 39-6 to eliminate the vehicle fee as of Jan. 1, 2011. Councillors voted 40-5 to reduce office budgets by about 40 per cent, to $30,000 from $50,445.

The Councilors who voted to keep the tax were: Janet Davis, Sarah Doucette, Pam McConnell, Joe Mihevc, Gord Perks, Adam Vaughan 

Those who voted not to reduce their budgets were: Frank Di Giorgio, John Filion, Pam McConnell, Ron Moeser, and the aptly named Gord Perks