REVscene Automotive Forum - Mayors likely to okay extra $130 million for TransLink

REVscene Automotive Forum (https://www.revscene.net/forums/)

- Vancouver Off-Topic / Current Events (https://www.revscene.net/forums/vancouver-off-topic-current-events_50/)

- - Mayors likely to okay extra $130 million for TransLink (https://www.revscene.net/forums/593718-mayors-likely-okay-extra-%24130-million-translink.html)

Mayors likely to okay extra $130 million for TransLink

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/65029852.html

Quote:

Metro Vancouver mayors are expected to vote Friday to approve a $130-million annual funding lift for TransLink to bridge a growing deficit and avert deep transit service cuts.

That would trigger a three cent a litre increase in fuel taxes as well as a series of transit fare increases in 2013, 2016 and 2019 (when one-zone cash fares will hit $3.25) to finance the new 10-year plan.

Riders who prepay would be hit harder faster, facing an immediate 10 per cent increase in the price of monthly passes and discount ticket books.

The transit system would essentially be kept on life support by the increases.

The alternative is for mayors to refuse any funding increase, forcing an array of cuts, including a 40 per cent reduction in bus service.

This week's vote follows a closed-door meeting Monday between transportation minister Shirley Bond and area mayors, who say they didn't get far in persuading the minister to help find new sustainable funding sources for TransLink.

"We have a long way to go to understand each other's needs," Langley Township Mayor Rick Green said.

His council is one of several in the region, including Surrey, Delta, that has agreed to vote in favour of the $130-million package, which Green predicts will pass.

While it would avert drastic cuts, it would also preclude any rapid transit expansion, including construction of the promised Evergreen Line to Coquitlam, which TransLink says is impossible without a much more ambitious plan requiring closer to $450 million a year.

Cities had been poised to consider a bigger funding increase, stumping up $275 million in large part by charging an annual vehicle levy, provided the province delivers other sources, such as road pricing, to add another $175 million.

That's off the table because Victoria balked and Bond on Monday continued to argue that local cities can raise more for TransLink from property taxes – an option the mayors reject.

"There's no way property taxation can take double digit increases," said Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini, who said he hasn't decided how he'll vote.

Delta Mayor Lois Jackson, who chairs the Metro Vancouver board, said local taxpayers will also face huge utility cost increases in the years ahead to pay for sewage treatment plant upgrades and garbage disposal solutions.

Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said property taxes can't be touched and Victoria must recognize that the region needs more tools to fund TransLink.

"Intelligent and thoughtful people can find a solution," he said, adding the region must continue to lobby Victoria for more money no matter what decision is made Friday.

He said it may be possible to trim TransLink's $450-million expansion plan to around $380 million and perhaps lower based on savings that may be found by B.C.'s Comptroller-General.

An audit of TransLink by that office ordered by Bond still isn't available and mayors won't know its contents before they vote Friday.

At least one mayor won't vote for any funding increase.

Burnaby's Derek Corrigan will try to persuade the rest of the mayors' council to freeze TransLink funding and precipitate a crisis.

"The provincial government would be forced to the table," he said. "The timing is exactly right with the Olympics approaching. The provincial government is in a position where they have to deliver."

Corrigan said TransLink will soon be losing $150 million a year in large part because of costly manipulation of transit priorities by the province, including the construction of the Canada Line as well as Victoria's recent directives to build the Evergreen Line with SkyTrain technology and to install turnstiles on SkyTrain.

It will be a mistake if mayors okay more funding now, he said, because it will then become even harder to get the province to step up with more sources.

"They're about to make another leap of faith and commit another $130 million of wages and taxes and fares but without any concurrent commitment from the provincial government."

$3.75 for a ONE-ZONE fare? Sure that's down the line, but still why the FUCK would anyone want to pay THAT much to stay in their area? I bolded a point in there that would piss anyone off. Might sound good to some people, but for me, I think I'll just start driving full-time. The service cuts may be a reason for people to agree with the increases, but I never really saw anything in that article to improve bus services as they are now.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

they already tolled the fucking bridges and want to toll alot more then just that. they also raised the fare to like 1.75 a while back, why do they want to raise it by 2 bux, its just a rip. look at the canada line, if you want to go to the airport, 12 bucks. Translink is just a bunch of Xe (Blackwater) wannabes

Quote:

Originally Posted by jivan6 (Post 6649794)

That fare raise to 3.75 won't be hit for 10 years, but they WILL be increasing it beforehand.

the fuck is this gay ass homo shit

fuck

the sky shit other than commercial drive u gotta wait 5 minutes if u miss one. Why cant it be every 2 minutes everywhere else like how commercial is?

no one is driving the fucking train.

The fare is already gay enough

taking skytrain to work plus bus is already inconvenience , and honestly i aint saving shit vs driving to work. the only thing i save is milleage, zero dollar on gas. Fuck, now they wonna raise the price even more? now there is a great chance taking sky shit gonna be more expensive than me driving, great tactic :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

The thing is so super unreliable, every once in a week or two the fucking thing breaks down, delayed...or watever

please refrain as much swearing as possible, im a little kid, you are hurting my eyes Mugen

I guess i'mma have to drive full-time, translink is way to unreliable for this bullshit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by silk (Post 6649839)

please refrain as much swearing as possible, im a little kid, you are hurting my eyes Mugen

kids dont get paid $25 bux an hour plunging toilets

stfu

Install the god damn turnstiles on all the stations already. Seriously, if you're looking for additional source of income?

LOOK AT ALL THE FUCKING PEOPLE WHO DON'T PAY FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyvu (Post 6649846)

I guess i'mma have to drive full-time, translink is way to unreliable for this bullshit.

ya 2 weeks ago i was stuck at production along with other hundreds of ppl. why ? becuz fuckn sky shit broke down between lougheed and braid

delayed for about an hour, while people were jumping on the buses like how it is in china. packed like a bunch of sardines

Translink is like a cancer of Vancouver. I so wanna work there and milk ppl of their hard-earned money

Quote:

Originally Posted by q0192837465 (Post 6649864)

Translink is like a cancer of Vancouver. I so wanna work there and milk ppl of their hard-earned money

You're thinking of either a Virus or a Parasite.

Cancer doesn't milk people for their hard earned resources. Cancer is more like a bunny. It just sleeps, eats and reproduces. Nonstop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRS (Post 6649856)

This I can agree with. What's the fucking point of taxing everything else and NOT putting turnstiles in as a priority? Turnstiles should have been put in years ago when TransLink started realizing they were losing fares.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorneringArtist (Post 6649870)

I guess the logic to Translink is this. It takes a lot of money to install those turnstiles at all Skytrain stations. In return they will prevent people from hopping on Skytrains for free.

BUT, if they just tax everyone they make more profit. A couple of Skytrain hoppers are considered chump change if everyone is paying an extra 3cents/L on fuel for their cars.

So I say HELL TO PUBLIC TRANSIT. Privatize NOWS!

^

its like a milking cow to the goverment, no way they will privatize

Quote:

Originally Posted by shenmecar (Post 6649889)

Well, I'd say privatization is not an option in Vancouver. We simply do not have enough users of public transit and our population density is so low that it cost A SHOT LOAD of money to have decent coverage. At least Translink now is only trying to balance the books. If privatize, the company will try to make money. If volume is not there, the price will have to go up. It's not gonna be a pretty picture.

Public transit in itself is a losing battle. There r only a handful of places where it is a viable business. Public transit should never be considered a profit centre. It's merely a cost centre and pretty much the only thing they can do is to minimize the cost, which the boys in Translink r not very good at.

fuck the govt fuck translink, Canada's useless esp Gordon Campbell

if they keep rasing the price on everything, i simply cant afford it anymore

i dont blame the government, i blame on myself not making enough money

God damn, I just heard this on the news

FUCK U TRANSLINK

no way im paying fucking 3 dollars for one zone... thats bullshit. i might as well use that money for gas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorneringArtist (Post 6649870)

I have to pay a 2 zone fare to work but I always just paid a one zone fare :haha: No one ever ever ever checks for fare during rush hours. Now I will happily pay for a 2zone fare if they make the skytrain more reible. Waiting for 3+ trains before I can go on and go to work is unacceptable, waiting for 2+ skytrain before I can get on and go home is unacceptable, having the skytrain broke down everyweek and delay about 30+mins every week is unacceptable.

Once they improve the skytrain system I will pay my fair share.

Edit: Time to start saving for a car and gas.

by that time i'll be out of school and hopefully i have enough funds to own & drive a car..oh well 3 cents a litre..just better get that finger crossed i dont have to work out in the 'burbs and have to cross bridges so i won't get tolled

fucking overpaid drivers

useless new buses and lcd screens

yay lets all rev our engines in front of vancouver cityhall cause we are going to get fucked anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsvs (Post 6650058)

fucking overpaid drivers

useless new buses and lcd screens

your forgot a nice air conditioning system on the list

Quote:

Originally Posted by twitchyzero (Post 6650005)

Looks like I'll be paying more attention to my Cressida. Gas mileage kinda sucks, but its better than transit.