This all Sucks Canada; OUR Governments, all the Parasitic, Career Politicians, Even the Canadian Taxpayers Federation; STILL, REFUSE TO LISTEN.

Metro Vancouver voters overwhelmingly voted “NO” to an increased sales tax to pay for transit improvements.

The transit plebiscite results: Metro Vancouver residents cast their ballots 61.68 per cent voted NO NEW TAXES(which of course, includes toll increases AND any unauthorised-by taxpayers- fare increase); only thirty-eight per cent(38.32 per cent) of voters said ‘yes’ to ANY tax increase-merely changing the name of the tax; WAS; AND IS; NOT an option.

THE OFFICIAL QUESTION WAS: “DO YOU SUPPORT A NEW 0.5% METRO VANCOUVER CONGESTION IMPROVEMENT TAX, TO BE DEDICATED TO THE MAYORS’ TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT PLAN?”

The leaders of Canada’s three main FEDERAL parties have promised hundreds of millions ALL SUPPLIED BY THE “MIDDLE CLASS TAXPAYER”) dollars for transit projects, but that money could go to waste because local politics-ACTUALLY, CANADIAN CITIZENS FINALLY TO SOME SMALL EXTENT, SPEAKING OUT- has meant mayors don’t have any LEGAL way-other than through cutting their own salaries; and then CARRYING THROUGH; to come up with a realistic and responsible budget; to pay for "THEIR THIRD OF THE BILL".

 A minor problem you say; and maybe so; but then please tell me; SINCE THE “MAYORS COUNCIL” HAS, SO MISERABLY, FAILED, TO BUDGET FOR INFRASTRUCTURE/PUBLIC TRANSIT/ SKYTRAIN/ TRANSLINK IMPROVEMENTS; HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY EVEN FANTASISE ABOUT COMING UP WITH THE NEEDED CAPITAL TO FINANCE THIS; LATEST; IRRESPONSIBLE BOON BOGGLE?

Still, OCTOBER 6, 2015: Vancouver planners push removal of Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts.

Vancouver unveils viaduct removal plan with increased $200M price tag (again, to be charged to the “Middle Class Citizen/Taxpayer).  A NEW proposal to tear down Vancouver’s Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts promises to accommodate just as much traffic with only minimal increases to travel time.

City staff unveiled the plan Tuesday morning along with only a minimally ($70 million) increased price tag of $200 million, up from the initial estimate of $130 million.

Planning manager Brian Jackson also cautioned that putting the project off any longer would only make it even MORE EXPENSIVE FOR TAXPAYERS.

A 13-acre park will be the centrepiece of Vancouver’s $200-million plan to remove the Georgia and Dunsmuir viaducts, city staff said Tuesday. The city’s plan would replace the viaducts with an expanded Pacific Boulevard and a ramp that connects Georgia Street to the waterfront. THE PLAN ALSO CALLS FOR THE EXTENSION OF CREEKSIDE PARK INTO CONCORD PACIFIC LANDS at the north east end of False Creek, and an elevated bike path.

City council voted unanimously in 2013 to go ahead with planning for the viaducts’ removal, but public outcry about the possibility of increased traffic congestion forced deferral of the final decision for two years. During that time, staff have studied the impact on traffic and consulted with the community, holding 13 open houses and 38 stakeholder meetings.

Surprise , surprise; with federal and provincial money already on the table, Metro Vancouver municipal leaders are going to have to come up with a way to raise their share of the cash for transit sooner rather than later.

“We can’t let it slip through our fingers,” said Metro Vancouver board chair Greg Moore of transit funding promises made on the federal campaign trail. “It is too important for our region moving forward.”

The region’s mayors are looking at various ways to generate additional revenue, but any new money gets caught up in the same old problems–the provincial government wants people to vote on it- People Who-In A Very Expensive Referendum-Have Already Voted NO!

“I said to the mayors, any new funding source in legislation requires a referendum and to go to the public,” said TransLink minister Peter Fassbender???.

The mayors COULD ATTEMPT many ILLEGAL options, but face just as many LEGAL roadblocks.

Implementing tolls on existing bridges would require a referendum. Road pricing for existing highways also needs to go to a vote.

That leaves mayors with the prospect of a vehicle levy, an idea that was already tried twice and failed both times.

Then there are property taxes. Homeowners in Metro Vancouver already pay $300 million to TransLink each year. Another $250 million is needed to fund the mayors’ plan, which would nearly double what homeowners pay. For an average homeowner that comes to $300 a year.

“The mayors have said for eight years now that increasing property tax is not a viable solution,” said Moore.

Jordan Bateman of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said that “people are still upset with TransLink. People still don’t want to give them more money. Fix that organization first.”

Langley resident Tim Delesalle crosses the Golden Ears Bridge three or four times a week, and also pays tolls to cross the Port Mann Bridge. To keep track of things, he signed up for combined billing from TReO and got electronic decals for all three of his vehicles. “All of these bills I thought that my account was in good standing,” said Delasalle. One of the vehicles needed a windshield replacement so the decal got moved. Delasalle also replaced the licence plate on the vehicle and that triggered a new Quickpass account.

Quickpass is the electronic tolling system for the Golden Ears Bridge. TReO requires drivers to report changes to plates and if the decal is tampered with, it must be replaced. Delasalle didn’t do either and says he was unaware a new account had been started.

Years before, Delasalle said he had requested paper billing on his accounts. Quickpass claims it started emailing statements on the new account to Delasalle. He says he didn’t see them and the first paper bill to arrive, this July, was for more than $4,400. That’s equivalent to 1,019 crossings in a month on the Golden Ears Bridge at the $4.35 pay as you go rate. Delasalle said he’d received billing on two other previous Quickpass accounts and hasn’t moved in 12 years.

More than $2,100 of the big bill was interest on outstanding charges.

The bylaw governing the Golden Ears Bridge allows them to charge an interest penalty of 26.82 per cent on outstanding balances. The bylaw governing the Golden Ears Bridge allows them to charge an interest penalty of 26.82 per cent on outstanding balances.

When we asked about the case, Quickpass directed us to TransLink. In a written statement, TransLink defended its high interest penalties on past due bills. It said it mails a warning letter at 90 days, another at 120 days and said it’s up to the driver to check with them a bill isn’t received to avoid penalties and charges.

Delasalle did have to pay the bill, in the end, because otherwise he would have been unable to renew his car insurance. Quickpass did cut $1,000 in interest but Delasalle wants all the interest paid back.

“I believe I’m owed about $2,200 in interest charges by itself, ” Delasalle told us. In comparison, TReO charges 19 percent interest on outstanding charges – far less than Quickpass.

TransLink said they’d take another look at his bill but wouldn’t promise anything.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (apparently, these guys are just a little deaf; so haven’t got it either) is calling for one agency, one operator and one system because it says as more toll bridges come on stream the confusion will only grow.

Fixing TransLink is a political football neither the province (which created it) nor the mayors (who technically run it) seem willing to tackle.

Despite the fact the federal government appears to be ready to move forward with SUPPOSED funding, the end result is a regional transit system stuck in its tracks.~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan.