TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto police Chief Bill Blair has joined the chorus of those urging Mayor Rob Ford to get a driver.

However, in this case, Blair suggested a double-duty driver, one who can also provide security.

The question is: from which budget should it be funded?

The mayor has been reluctant to get a driver because he’s considered it the kind of “gravy” he was elected to get rid of. Ford’s office budget has also been cut.

• Do you think Ford should get a driver? 680News political affairs specialist John Stall blogs his thoughts here.

“We’re going to work on it; we’re going to get this done hell or high water,” Ford’s brother, Councillor Doug Ford, told 680News, Thursday morning. “The thing about this is that he has staff with him in the car, but won’t let them drive.”

Budget chief Mike Del Grande agrees that Ford should have a driver and could build it into the budget, if council agrees, which may not be likely — given the political gamesmanship that gets played between supporters and critics.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is not opposed to the idea, pointing out the mayor runs a government larger than half of the provinces in Canada.

The Globe and Mail speculates the cost of police detail with a driver could be around $59,000 plus benefits and overtime.