Wallace: Revenues are opaque. Even if you have a balanced budget mentality, even if you are off - "not a big deal." #imfgtalks
Wallace: There is actually a lot of scope when it comes to spending, little is legislated (just the interest on debt). #imfgtalks
Wallace: this means senior governments can establish and sustain strategic objectives. #imfgtalks
Wallace: Toronto - budgetting is "super visible" as are revenues. Of course, expense limitations and visible services. What is challenging: policies are adjusted throughout the year, but the bugetting is annual. #imfgtalks
Wallace: Toronto - divisions may follow your instruction but agencies may not (doesn't happen at the federal order). #imfgtalks
Wallace: Cities don't have the ability to finance what they want because of the revenue limitations unlike other orders of government. #imfgtalks
Wallace: Important to remember how good municipalities are. If there is trouble, it is usually in conjunction with senior orders of government. #Imfgtalks
Wallace: Don't expect municipalities to fix problems they didn't cause. #imfgtalks
Wallace: Need for federal and provincial governments to recognize how good municipalities are. #imfgtalks
Wallace: Working at the city was surprising - the complexity of the finances, the constrained environment. At the federal level, what was surprising was its size. #imfgtalks
Are we getting value for money? Wallace: There is a lot of waste. There is a lot inefficient decision-making with bureaucrats. #imfgtalks
Speak about different cultures in different orders. Wallace: Toronto culture is an expert culture. Federally and provincially, the ADM ranks are managerial (not from the policy fields they are in charge of) and lots of change. Programs can be abstract. #imfgtalks