Editor:
Re: Transit solution is right in front of MLA, letter to the editor, Jan. 21
It is interesting to note that Lori Mayhew correctly states that we are seeing bus service cuts. She sees the solution as a "yes" vote for the upcoming transit referendum, which would see sales tax increase by 0.5 per cent and TransLink revenue increase by an estimated $250 million. I would suggest that Mayhew is wrong in this assertion.
What she fails to show is that this $250 million is unlikely to increase or improve bus service to this area, especially once the proposed bridge is built.
In a 2012 audit by the Ministry of Finance, it clearly states that routes that do not pass certain financial criteria are to be discontinued.
This goes against the mandate of a metropolitan transit service. The transit system is meant to subsidize more expensive routes to outlying areas such as Delta with the more profitable central routes.
There are a number of parts to the argument. One is the outlay of capital costs for new routes, etc. These have historically been born by government in order to improve quality of life and access to labour markets. This cost appears to be lost in the general costing of TransLink and is being passed down from the provincial government. Another issue is the fact that costing in general has been handed down from the provincial government. TransLink revenues from the province have been decreased 12 per cent, which in 2012 amounted to a loss of $150 million.
In the meantime, legislation already enables TransLink to increase property tax revenues by three per cent annually. This is not to mention a 17-cents-per-litre gas tax that represents 24 per cent of TransLink revenues or approximately $311 million. As well there is the parking rights tax and a transit levy tax on your hydro bill.
It is little wonder that people are a fed up with the tax increases.
TransLink will be spending about $4 million of these tax dollars to try and persuade people to agree to this latest tax increase.
Mayhew fails to discuss that fares only account for 33 per cent of the total of revenue. As long as the transit system fails to garner more ridership by being more effective and less wasteful, an increase in taxes will only encourage more waste and less service.
Let's not forget that pay raises of the management have been double the norm and the CEO of TransLink, Ian Jarvis, is paid more than his counterparts in Toronto and Seattle. Both cities are not only larger, they have far more effective transit services.
Peter van der Velden
