Perruzza campaigned for the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial election, challenging Liberal incumbent Laureano Leone in Downsview. One of Perruzza's main campaign promises was to fight the decentralization of government services, which had resulted in the loss of more than 1,400 government jobs from the riding. He also called for market value property tax assessment in Toronto, so as to provide substantial tax reductions for many of his residents. Perruzza defeated Leone by over 5,000 votes as the NDP won the election and formed a majority government.