A new tax pitched by the region's mayors may be fine for now, but the most equitable
system to pay for transit improvements remains bridge tolls, says Delta Mayor Lois Jackson.
The provincial government gave the go-ahead last week for a referendum on a new tax proposed by the mayors, but only after revising the wording from "sales tax" to something that might be more palatable.
Jackson said she voted in favour of the proposed 0.5 per cent "Metro Vancouver congestion improvement tax" at a meeting of the Mayors' Council on Regional Transportation.
The tax would be an addition to the provincial sales tax. The mayors believe it would be the fairest and most affordable funding source because it has a broader base.
The mail-in ballot question to be put to the public next spring will read: "Do you support a new 0.5% Metro Vancouver Congestion Improvement Tax, to be dedicated to the Mayors' Transportation and Transit Plan? Yes or No?" The plebiscite will be conducted by Elections B.C. Ballots will be sent out March 16, with votes having to be submitted by May 29.
A simple majority of 50 per cent plus one will be considered support.
The mayors' council estimates the tax could generate $250 million in the first year, funding that would help pay for muchneeded improvements. Those upgrades, announced earlier this year, included a few items for Delta, mostly more frequent transit, while the big tickets items were light rail for Surrey and a subway in Vancouver.
"More buses, more frequent buses, that's something we're all looking for here south of the river," said Jackson. "The statistic on accessibility to frequent transit service is what I've been trying to get at for the last 15 years. What do we get south of the river as opposed to what everybody else is getting on the other side of the river?" She's also hopeful Delta will end up with light rail as part of a system that could eventually hook up with a future Surrey line. She said the bridge to replace the George Massey Tunnel could have that capacity built into the structure.
"I think it must be there.
The drawings are not done, but to me, it would make abundant sense to have a light rail from the SkyTrain in Richmond, out over the bridge, take a spur off at the TFN, the other spur, theoretically, could go all the way out to the freeway and even on to Chilliwack if you wanted to.
"It's good visioning for the future. It's not going to happen today but as long as they put the ability on that bridge to have light rail, then that will happen one day."
Jackson said the mayors, as well as the provincial government, still balk at bridge tolls, even though she thinks it would be the fairest way to raise money across the region.
"If those tolls were evened out over all the bridges in the Lower Mainland - they'll all have to be replaced one day - all these improvements have to happen. We all contribute to the infrastructure. You can't on the North Shore say you won't help pay for the new bridge down here because the Lions Gate will have be to be upgraded or replaced one day."
She noted tolls would have to be set at a standard rate, not more than 50 cents or a dollar.
