Photo: "Going Fast!" by blogTO Flickr pooler ericrobinson.

Your morning news roundup for Tuesday January 29th, 2008:

Are the city's plans to improve TTC transit services based on politicking, and not on actual need? Transit expert Richard Soberman thinks the LRT plan includes right-of-way lane overkill, that new subways aren't a priority, and that we should focus more on buses and simultaneously expanding and downgrading the Sheppard line.

Advocates for student loan reform want the federal government to stop harassing the families of the deceased for outstanding student loans paid out between 1995 and 2000. Over 100 accounts, held by borrowers that have died, have been pursued by collection agencies and under $15,000 has been collected in 6 years. Let it go.

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Don't get blown away tonight. Wear your heavy shoes.

For the first time since the megacity amalgamation, Toronto has a balanced budget. It's mostly ourselves we have to thank because hikes in taxes will keep services running. Please don't cry about how much it hurts... it could be much, much worse.

After a 3-year court battle, a man living in an old house on lands intended for the development of a new airport near Pickering has lost his fight and has been evicted. It probably wouldn't have been all that pleasant to live on a runway, would it?

CityNews reminds us that we're being murdered (dead) year round by contaminants in our killer air (death die disease heart attack!). In all seriousness though, it's really bad.