One of the privileges of the job as CTF federal director is the opportunity to meet with elected representatives and directly and sometimes forcefully communicate the desires of CTF supporters to those who can put them into law.

The CTF's five-year badgering of Premier Harris to pass Taxpayer Protection legislation into law in November 1999 cemented a level of mutual respect between the Office of the Premier and the CTF. Similarly, on the opposition side, Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty has sought out CTF advice on his Taxpayer Protection proposals during the June 1999 provincial election campaign and on his draft legislation to end taxpayer-funded partisan advertising (which the CTF strongly supports).

But no politician in Ontario in recent memory has pushed a taxpayer-friendly agenda more so than the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Hon. Tony Clement.

It was Minister Clement that helped Premier Harris quarterback the Conservative government's Taxpayer Protection and Balanced Budget Legislation since the Tories were first elected in 1995.

So it is no surprise that the Minister's latest announcement is once again, taxpayer friendly. Earlier this month, the Minister announced that Ontario taxpayers would be the first in North America to receive annual report cards on how well their municipal governments are doing in delivering nine key areas of municipal services.

By summer 2001, municipalities will be required by law to report to local taxpayers on how efficiently and effectively they deliver key services. Nine major service areas will be measured.

Water

- Operating costs of treatment and distribution

- Continual supply of quality water

Sewage

- Sewer-main backups

- Outcomes of monitoring tests at treatment facilities

Garbage

- Operating costs of waste collection

- Outcomes of applicable monitoring tests

Fire Services

- Operating costs of fire services

- Fire loss

Policing

- Operating costs of police services

- Cases cleared

Social Services

- Percentage of people in welfare-to-work activities

- Number of people receiving social assistance under Ontario works

Local Government

- Operating costs for municipal administration and council members

Land-Use Planning

- Percentage of new lots created in settlement areas

- Percentage of agricultural land retained in agricultural designation

Transportation

- Operating costs for conventional transit

- Adequacy of roads for summer

- Traffic delays due to construction activities

Obviously, over time, more detailed measures will have to be developed and added. And subjective analysis will have to enter into these measurements to account for population demographics and economic growth disparities, but this system will provide more accountability for local ratepayers.

Much of this data is already collected by most municipalities so incremental costs will be kept to a minimum. And the Province needs to more clearly spell out how everything is to be measured and through what vehicles (ex: direct mail, web site, newspaper ads) must municipalities report to taxpayers.

But it's a good start. As Minister Clement himself noted, "Ontario municipalities have more authority now than they had in the past and, with increased authority, comes the need for greater accountability. We're aiming for better municipal services and clear government accountability." The taxpayers friend strikes again!