Other Items Considered by the Committee

(a)Task Force on Community Safety - Membership.

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Striking Committee for consideration:

(March 22, 1999) from the City Clerk, advising that City Council on March 2, 3 and 4, 1999, during its consideration of Clause No. 4 of Report No. 5 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, headed "Final Report of the Task Force on Community Safety", amended Recommendation No. (35) of the report (February, 1999) from the Task Force on Community Safety, entitled "Toronto. My City. A Safe City. A. Community Safety Strategy for the City of Toronto.", to provide that five Members of Council, representing all areas of the City, be appointed to such Task Force.

(b)Identification and Ealuation of Policy Areas Within the Various Departments.

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports have received the following report; and having forwarded a copy thereof to the Budget Committee for its information:

(March 9, 1999) from the Chief Administrative Officer, commenting on the transition team's proposed Strategic Directions Secretariat as requested by the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee; describing the policy functions now being undertaken by staff and their location within the City's departments and the staff roles and responsibilities for policy development in the future, as requested by the Budget Committee; and recommending that this report be received for information and that a copy of the report be forwarded to the Budget Committee for its information.

(c)Policy on Interest Paid on Assessment Appeal Refunds.

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee reports having referred the following communication to the Budget Committee for consideration; and having requested the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to submit a report to the Budget Committee on the financial implications in regard thereto:

(April 6, 1999) from the City Clerk, advising that the Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force on April 1, 1999, recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee that:

(1)the City of Toronto pay interest of 1 percent on assessment appeal refunds, retroactive from January 1, 1998 until the date the new by-law is enacted;

(2)the rate of interest to be paid on assessment appeal refunds be set at the average of the prime rate of interest by the six major Canadian chartered banks, at the beginning of the calendar year for which the rate applies;

(3)By-law No. 29097 of the former City of North York which allows for the payment of interest on assessment appeal refunds for properties in the former City of North York, be repealed;

(4)the former City of Toronto's Municipal Code be amended to provide that any overpayments made on or after the date of the by-law being enacted by Council, which are eligible for assessment appeal refunds, shall have the interest applied from the day the overpayment is made;

(5)the City Solicitor be requested to submit the necessary by-law to give effect to these recommendations; and

(6)the former City of Toronto continue to pay interest on assessment appeals that relate to tax years 1997 and prior based on the rates as adopted by the former City of Toronto.

Respectfully submitted,

MAYOR MEL LASTMAN,

Chair

Toronto, April 7, 1999

Patsy Morris

Tel. (416) 392-9151