The gloves came off Thursday on London's mayoral campaign trail, with candidate Joe Swan targeting the cost of rival Matt Brown's platform.
A Swan campaign event began with a cartoon to explains his jobs plan and showcase his lighter side, but he was soon changing direction, saying "I got the mandate in 2010 and I'm asking the people of London, can you afford Matt Brown?"
Swan is promising to provide an additional $1.5 million a year for four years to the London Economic Development Corporation to invest in creative-based small businesses.
He says that even assuming 90 per cent of small start-ups fail in the first three years, the plan can still deliver jobs.
When you take into consideration Swan's promises to bring 5,100 jobs while keeping tax increases below one per cent though, it starts to sound similar to former mayor Joe Fontana's promises four years ago.
But Swan says "I'm not here to talk about Joe Fontana. I'm here to go back to the people who gave me the mandate. They don't want the government spending their hard-earned dollars."
He is also using his concern for taxpayers to differentiate himself from Brown.
"[Bus rapid transit] - 5.7 per cent, 2.2 per cent for the green bin program, he's going to help with affordable housing, compromise with police, compromise with the fire union - you put all that into the mix and it's a cocktail of disaster for taxpayers," Swan says.
But Brown says Londoners can easily see how he will fund his platform on his website.
"Here we go again. There is probably a reason why my platform has been endorsed by a leading local economist, and there's probably a reason why his has not."
Meanwhile the cartoon Swan released Thursday outlining his job creation plan may be in need of an edit.
According to the city clerk and election rules, the use of the City of London's logo or a close representation in campaign material is not allowed.
