There are a couple of things most people living in the Lower Mainland can agree on: one, a more robust public transit system is desperately needed; two, TransLink has been wasteful and poorly managed.
Now we are in the awkward position of being asked to fork over more money to an organization many have lost confidence in, to pay for a service we really want.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie, along with most other mayors in the region, supports the yes side in the upcoming referendum. The mayors have certainly had their criticism of TransLink over the years, but it’s the devil they know; nor is it going anywhere.
On the other side is the likes of Richmond councillor Alexa Loo, who has been sending out tweets saying TransLink needs to clean house before asking for tax.
But a third group is emerging — the spoilers. They’re calling for residents to get out to the polls, but to spoil their ballots. Their intention is to have the whole issue sent back to where it belongs: the provincial government. They argue that not only is TransLink a provincial creation and responsible for the organization’s bad reputation, but that by insisting the mayors come up with a funding formula, other tax options such as increases in income or corporate tax — both of which have been drastically cut under the Liberal government — are not possible.
We are seeing a widening gap between the rich and poor in this country and, like every other sales tax, this will take a bigger bite out of a lower wage earner’s pay cheque. That said, there is an urgency to this issue. The congestion throughout the Lower Mainland is unsustainable on so many levels. We can’t afford to wait much longer for a bus that doesn’t appear to be coming.
