Councillor Fletcher Challenges Concerned Taxpayers At Budget Debate

Debate between City Councillor Paula Fletcher and some Toronto taxpayers Monday night got a little heated.

Fletcher implied that many of the concerned residents at the public operating budget consultation were there because they were sent there by NewsTalk 1010's John Tory, and that if he hadn't been encouraging residents to speak out at the meeting, they wouldn't have come.

When one member of the public yelled out "you should be fired," Fletcher challenged him to run against her in the municipal election.

Things started heating up as Fletcher questioned taxpayer John Smith.

Click here to listen to the audio

At one point in the shouting match Fletcher told the angry resident "come on down baby!"

Budget Chief Shelley Carroll can be heard in the audio trying to calm everyone down.

Councillor Paula Fletcher was reached by Newstalk 1010 Reporter Amber Gero and aplogized if her tone "put anybody off" but said the city is under a tremendous amount of financial pressure and everyone feels "very strongly about these budget cuts".

Listen to Paula Fletcher's apology.