Toronto’s operating budget, like a body floating into the portlands just before sunrise, approaches. So, it’s time for the the Toronto Sun to call us all “taxpayers” and complain about how stuff costs money.

The piece, though unremarkable in terms of content (Doug Holyday discovering something people could have not spent money on just means it’s a Monday), is an interesting little study of how objectivity works in the news media.

The tone is traditional J-School Disclamatory. The author himself is barely present; it’s “critics” who move the story, their expert observations which are dispassionately presented for our assumed benefit. But what about that term, “critics?” For such a dry, unremarkable, almost diminutive word, there’s tremendous privilege conferred.

Note the rhythm. First, we meet Shelley Carroll, budget chief. One individual - and not one with much of a voice, since there’s no quote. Then, we are introduced to “critics,” suggesting a large group of people joined in ther opposition to the likes of Shelley Carrol. When we meet Holyday and Minnan-Wong (who are quoted fulsomely, and without comment - more on that in a second), they are the implied representatives of this larger mass.

What if the term “Mayor’s opponents” had been used instead? How about the more specific but less ennobling, “Two of the Mayor’s right-wing opponents?” Or even just “fiscal conservatives?” “Privatization champions?” “Perennial axe-grinders?”

Savings could have been made by contracting out some services, limited hiring instead of 4,000 new staff added since 2003, and not letting unionized staff bank sick days, Minnan-Wong said.

There’s no reason to believe contracting out - privatizing - services is naturally cheaper, and there are cases when it increases costs. Most hiring has been to keep up with mandated service levels - legally required according to current arrangements with the province. And Minnan-Wong knows well that the sick day bank is being phased out by the strike settlement.

“Objectivity” - just print what the “experts” (who usually just happen to be in positions of jealously guarded power) say and let people decide for themselves - is easily exploited, by either politicians or reporters. In this case, it would appear to be both.

But really, I just came here to point out one wrinkle in particular which caught my eye:

The Toronto Police Services Board’s operating budget requires 4.8% or $41 million more than in 2009, Toronto Zoo’s board wants 3.2% or $500,000 more, the Toronto Public Library Board wants 3.9% or $6.4 million more, and Toronto Public Health has asked for an extra 1.7%, or $743,000.

Your money! The Zoo and Libraries want it; Public Health asks for it. But the police, whose budget dwarfs that of the other three combined? They require it.

As they say, the devil reflexive conservatism is in the details.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at 12:14 am and is filed under Media critique / analysis, Toronto City Council. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.