Toronto budget committee votes to chop library, but save two pools in Ford allies' wards (Canada)

Toronto's budget committee has voted to cut an extra $7 million from the budget of the library system, a decision that will mean reducing some combination of branch hours, reading programs and book purchases if it's approved by council next week. Defying Mayor Rob Ford's demand for a 10 per cent cut, the library board voted in the fall to approve a cut of only 5.9 per cent, or $10 million. But council has the final say, and the conservative-dominated budget committee voted Monday to force the board to meet Ford's target. The committee also voted to save two of seven threatened school pools. Both are located in communities represented by Ford allies - a fact the conservatives said was coincidental and left-leaning Ford critics said was not - The Star