The Editor,
Re. "Mayors oppose referendum" (The Tri-City News, July 3).
I think a referendum is exactly what the people of the Lower Mainland need to finally come to a resolution on how to fund the woefully inadequate transit system.
Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said he thinks a referendum is a recipe for disaster and the issue is too complex to be left to voters. What an insult to the voters. Does he think we are stupid? TransLink and the mayors have been no great shakes at solving this issue. Let those of us who are going to be footing the bill have a say.
Why should the public have any number of possible increases/taxes foisted on them without consultation? The mayors think there will be a knee-jerk reaction and people will vote No. What do they expect?
They certainly aren't thinking things through. Case in point: road pricing. Most people can't afford to live in Vancouver or Burnaby and have no choice but to live in the Tri-Cities, Maple Ridge, Langley, Abbotsford and Surrey. And yet they have to drive into Vancouver or other parts of the Lower Mainland to work because of a lack of good, reliable transit. Why penalize them for that?
If TransLink is considering road pricing, then the people of Vancouver won't be paying their fair share. In addition, Vancouver has the best transit options and yet its residents pay for one fare zone while those who live farther out have no choice have to pay for three zones. Not fair.
As for raising property taxes, what about the people who don't own their homes? How are they contributing?
An annual vehicle levy sounds good because that would cover everybody fairly over the region, and just about everybody owns a vehicle.
Or take a share of the carbon tax. We are paying that already and what better way to take from a gasoline tax some money to improve transit.
Better yet, quit building. I've always thought city councils have put the cart before the horse in their zeal to develop. The problem is thousands of more people move into the regions and there aren't enough hospitals, schools, roads and buses.
So let's have some discussion and get this settled in a fair and equitable manner.
Michelle Clayton, Coquitlam
VOTE FOR TAXES
The Editor,
Congratulations to new Transportation Minister Todd Stone for rejecting the TransLink mayors' council's bid to cancel the upcoming transit referendum.
Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said, the issue is too complex to be left to the voters. How infuriating. Although I respect most of the mayors, they have proved they are unable to work together time and time again.
Property owners, drivers, transit users and business people all deserve an opportunity to express how they want to pay for major projects. I believe property taxes are the best way to spread the cost evenly to everyone and I want that choice.
Glenn Rickard, Coquitlam
