As Toronto’s mayoral race continues, Brad Bradford is accusing Olivia Chow of mishandling taxpayer money and billions of dollars given by the province for operating the Gardiner Expressway and the DVP. At a campaign announcement outside City Hall on Sunday, Bradford said despite the influx of money, residents have seen property taxes rise almost 20 per cent over the last three years, a 340 per cent increase infood bank visits since 2019, the worst traffic congestion in North America, and a downtown square that people avoid going to after dark.“Toronto isn’t struggling because you don’t pay enough. Mayor Chow has raised your taxes plenty. City Hall is struggling because nobody is minding the books,” he said.“When you get more money, in terms of federal and provincial transfers than ever before, and you still have to go out to taxpayers and ask them for a record-breaking tax increase, that’s not a revenue problem, that’s an accountability and management problem.”Bradford is promising a line-by-line review of every city budget if he is elected as the next mayor of Toronto. Chow, who is in New York City for the Urban 20 Mayors Summit, responded to the accusations, saying the nearly $2 billion saved by the province’s investment into the Gardiner is now going to parks, flood protection, transportation and housing. Chow’s campaign office says the Mayor was also able to reduce city spending by about $450 million over the last three years without making any cuts to public services, while also noting all of the city’s financial documents are publicly available on the City of Toronto website. Mayoral candidate Chris Alexander also pointed to Bradford’s record as a councillor, saying he voted for the spending he is now attacking.“He was at the table for eight years, voting on the same spending, while opposing tax increases. You can’t have it both ways,” he said in a statement.Toronto residents will go to the polls to elect a mayor and city council on Oct. 26