Third try for Ward 15 hopeful Ron Singer

[attach]1550[/attach]Ron Singer is running for councillor in Ward 15 on a platform of crime reduction, safety and traffic — especially as it relates to the new revitalization plan for Lawrence Heights.

“They will bring in 10,000 more cars (as) they want to bring in 8-9,000 more (residential) units,” said Singer, of the Toronto Community Housing plan for the troubled neighbourhood. “With more cars, the main intersection will be blocked and people will be racing down (side) streets.”

Drivers may turn down residential side streets to avoid congested main roads, he said, which could increase safety risks for kids.

“I am fighting how this will be set up. I don’t want to see a small kid hit by a car just to say, ‘I told you so,’” he said. “Cars and kids don’t mix well.”

One aspect of the Lawrence Heights revitalization project contemplates filling in the Allen Expressway to bring it up to grade with other streets.

Singer disapproves.

“They have a crazy plan to turn the Allen into a boulevard for bike lanes,” he said.

He’s also opposed to the added density in the Lawrence Heights plan.

“I’d stand in front of a truck to stop this current plan,” said the insurance broker.

When it comes to citywide issues, Singer said he supports funding police, fire and emergency services as a priority over other services.

“(The city) wants the police to cut down $6 million from the budget. We should never cut back on police, EMS and fire services,” he said.

Singer also objects to the $53,100 office budget for each councillor.

“My goal is to spend less than Rob Ford on an office budget,” he said.

Singer is no stranger to council and political activism. He’s known Ford, the Etobicoke councillor and mayoral candidate, for over a decade.

About four years ago, the pair worked together to shut down a crack house in North Toronto across the street from where Singer lives.

He says he wants to continue to focus on ridding Toronto’s neighbourhoods of illegal booze cans and crackhouses by setting up a special team to tackle the issue.

And, Singer said he’s not above getting dirty for his constituents.

“If you’ve got a problem and they are not picking up your garbage, if necessary I’ll drive to your house to pick it up,” said Singer, who lives in the ward. “(Politicians) are working for the people. They are our employer.”

During last summer’s municipal strike, Singer picked up garbage from seniors’ homes and delivered it to the temporary dumps.

This is the third time Singer has run in Eglinton-Lawrence Ward 15. In 2003 he won eight percent of the vote, in 2006 he increased that to 25 percent.

Rosina Bonavota, Rob Davis and incumbent Councillor Howard Moscoe are also registered candidates in this race.