Mayor Rob Ford says some members of Toronto City Council have an addiction.  

He says they’re addicted to the millions of dollars the land transfer tax takes in, and to spending the proceeds.

Mayor Ford was speaking at a Toronto Real Estate Board luncheon yesterday where he vowed to start eliminating the land transfer tax.  That drew applause from his audience.

Ford says he’s aiming at cutting the tax by 10 percent, or 34 million dollars, this year, claiming it works against Toronto’s long term economic interests.  He says he’d rather see that money stimulating the economy by being spent by residents and creating jobs. 

Councillor Paula Fletcher doesn’t like the mayor’s choice of words, saying she’s not addicted to anything.  Fletcher says money from the tax goes toward important neighbourhood necessities such as transit, libraries and community centres.