Mayor Rob Ford started his term with cuts, eliminating the Vehicle Registration Tax and slashing councillor budgets.

That trend continued when the 2011 budget was unveiled at City Hall on Monday.

Property taxes will not increase and no major service cuts are planned, Ford outlined. He also said he did not ask the provincial or federal governments for money.  

“It is a modest budget that requires no property tax increases and calls for no major service cuts,” said Ford.

Ford has asked all departments to reduce spending by five per cent, a move that is already being resisted by the TTC and police boards.

“If they're unable to manage effectively in best interest of taxpayers, then we will have to find new managers that can,” he said.

The police have already asked for a three per cent increase, with Chief Bill Blair going on record saying a cut will take officers off the streets. But after a Monday afternoon meeting with Mayor Ford, Blair seemed to think a compromise was in the future.

“I'm very confident we'll be able to work together with our board to come up with a budget that responds appropriately to the Mayor's concerns,” said Blair.

Despite the promise of no service cuts, TTC chair Karen Stintz admitted that service to late-night routes will be cut.

Ford also announced a nine per cent increase in water rates and a three per cent bump in garbage fees.

Critics are saying that Ford was only able to keep taxes and services stable thanks in large part to a $268 budget surplus inherited from the David Miller administration.

“Rob Ford opposed those surpluses, yet now he takes credit. It's absurd. He should be thanking David Miller, Dalton McGuinty and Shelley Carroll,” said councillor Adam Vaughan, Ward 20, Trinity Spadina

Council will review the budget and the final vote will take place on February 23.

For a complete look at the city's budget, click here.

You can have your say on the budget during four public consultation meetings on January 19 and 20.

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Public Consultation Meetings

North York
Date: Wednesday, January 19
Time: 6pm
Location: Council Chamber, North York Civic Centre, 5100 Yonge Street

Toronto and East York
Date: Wednesday, January 19
Time: 6pm
Location: Council Chamber, East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Avenue

Scarborough
Date: Thursday, January 20
Time: 6pm
Location: Council Chamber, Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Drive

Etobicoke:
Date: Thursday, January 20
Time: 6pm
Location: Council Chamber, York Civic Centre, 2700 Eglinton Avenue West