City Coun. Paula Fletcher has apologized Tuesday after she lashed out at a participant in the city's public budget consultations on Monday night.
After a question from resident John Smith regarding cutting city expenses, the Toronto-Danforth councillor was captured on video accusing the man of being sent to the meeting by radio host (and former mayoral candidate) John Tory.
"There's many young people who haven't driven down here like you," Fletcher says. "Should we cut Transit City? Is that your suggestion? Were you called down here by the John Tory show?"
Budget chief Shelley Carroll can be seen in the footage encouraging Fletcher to calm down.
The outburst came in the middle of two long days of public hearings in which 53 individuals and groups – such as unions, arts organizations, lobbyists and seniors' groups -- made statements.
In the current proposal on the table, every department has been asked to make cuts in order to balance this year's $9.2 billion operating budget.
"We have some tough decisions to make," said Coun. Adam Vaughan. "We are going to listen to people and try to make the best decisions possible… We're prepared to sit down there and take our lumps."
CUPE Local 70 President Ann Dembinksi spoke at the hearing regarding the possibility that two Toronto ski hills and a public campground could be on chopping block.
The budget committee will take Monday and Tuesday's public input into consideration before presenting the final budget to city council in April.
