After backtracking on his $10 million tax hike plan, mayoral candidate George Smitherman has made a pledge today to freeze taxes and municipal hiring for one year. He also vowed to freeze new spending during a 100-day line-by-line review of the Toronto's capital and operating budget.

After cluing into the idea that a few Torontonians may be getting wise to the girth of spending being done at City Hall, Smitherman said in a release, "It will be back to basics at City Hall."

"I will launch a war on waste and non-essential spending. That's the only way City Hall can do what it must - provide high quality services people depend on. A City Hall under my leadership will put the customer first."

"We'll freeze politicians' wages, cut their budgets by $2 million, and dump their language lessons and other perks," he added. The City Hall frequent flyers club is going out of business."