CKNW Editorial
for October 26, 2000

Broadcasting from the UnionŽof BC Municipalities makes it a natural to take a look at the proposed vehicle tax that is causing so much controversy. And it’s useful, I think, to ask why it is controversial. And the answer to that is pretty simple. The people are not prepared to pay. The question that must be addressed is why people won’t pay. And the answer to that is many fold. For openers, and to a large degree the situation prevails to this day, there is no comprehensive plan that everyone in the four corners of the GVRD can look at and see when modern transit will be coming to them. There are, of course, lots of plans. But there are glaring omissions in the approvals department. For example, there is no firm commitment to a third crossing of Burrard Inlet. Lots of plans … lots of models … but no firm commitment either as to method or timing.

Take Richmond and the airport and as to the airport we are among the very few international airports that has no public transit to it. But while there are plans there is not even a commitment as to what corridor would be used for what kind of transit. So just to take two examples, people in two very large segments of the GVRD are being asked to pay for a transit levy for what to them is pie in the sky. This problem is compounded by the fact that these plans were not in place back in the 80s when the Skytrain decision was made for what people in many parts of the GVRD see is excellent transit service for some segments and none even formally approved for theirs … with Translink wanting to surcharge them anyway.

Then there is the way the levy has been sold to the people. First it is supposed to be environmentally friendly and of course we all want that don’t we. The trouble is people know this is simply not true and that it’s all really part of the Aircare rip-off. Then it was supposed to be a disincentive for motorists to use their cars and an incentive for them to take the bus. A kindergarden toddler could see that this is just barnyard droppings. Once one has paid the levy, which is the same no matter how many times the vehicle is driven, there is actually an incentive to use the car and say to hell with public transit. So, not to put too fine a point on it, when Translink told us that the levy would discourage vehicle use and thus cut down on crowded streets and save the environment they were lying to us … and the lie wasn’t even a very sophisticated one.

Then there was the method of impost which would have a Mom driving her kids to hockey games and skating lessons in the van paying three times that paid by the stockbroker in his Porsche.

The smaller municipalities, being very close to those about to be screwed by the system, are demanding a referendum – and they’re dead right. George Puil and his busy little elves at Translink are deathly afraid of a referendum. They say, of course, that they have taken their plans to the public and that everyone just loves their ideas. They in fact haven’t and the public doesn’t love their ideas at all. What Translink won’t do is trust the people. It is public money involved here and the public demands a voice in the decision and they’re not going to sit still for the highhanded tactics of Puil & Co. If this huge levy is in the public interest then the public, not unelected dictators must have the say-so – and that means a referendum. After all, a town wouldn’t dare build a rink or swimming pool without voter approval – why should the public be denied a vote for its transit system?

There are other reasons why the public is exercised. We in the GVRD pay, through our taxes, for much of the transit in other municipalities yet must bear all the costs of a system in Vancouver to be used by people from outside. But most of all, people in the GVRD are over-taxed and have had enough. It’s all very well for Translink and the politicians to claim that the federal government ought to remit some of the gas tax but the public says, very well, go get the money then … we’re quite prepared to live with a bad situation rather than shell out one more cent in taxes.

Now, having said all that, I believe that a proper plan presented to the people of the GVRD could be sold. The trouble is that Puil and company have been so used to ruling by fiat that they can’t bring themselves to trust the people. Until the people are trusted they will resist and when push comes to shove find every possible stratagem by which to avoid this tax.

Back to the old drawing board, Mr Puil …the people who elect the people who elect the people who appoint you have their dander up and you’re just not going to get away with it.