Mayor John Tory wants to sit beside his deputy mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong on the floor of council, but he may not get his wish.
The seat immediately beside Tory has been assigned to Giorgio Mammoliti for the past 15 years and the outspoken Ward 7 councillor told CP24 on Wednesday that he is hesitant to give it up.
“Him (Tory) and I are supposed to have a conversation today about seating arrangements,” Mammoliti said. “That’s a million-dollar seat. You can’t just give it away. I’ll tell you what, if the mayor promises me no property tax increases for the next four years than I might give away my seat.”
Mammoliti, who has sat beside the last three Toronto mayors, told CP24 that his seat was given to him by the taxpayers of the city and is his to do with as he wishes.
Mammoliti also suggested that the prime spot could provide him with an opportunity to personally hold Tory to account on spending at city hall, giving it some value.
“We will see what happens but that is the way I stand right now,” he said. “It is my seat, the taxpayers gave it to me and I wore my deodorant today so I don’t smell.”
Mammoliti was not chosen for Tory’s executive committee and on Tuesday told CP24 that he felt “singled out” because of his past support of Rob and Doug Ford.
Asked about the kerfuffle over the seat during a break during Wednesday’s council meeting, Minnan-Wong used the opportunity to make his pitch to Mammoliti.
“If Coun. Mammoliti wants someone to hold the mayor to account on keeping taxes down, I am his guy,” he said.
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