Commentary

Stephanie Ryan: Reasons to be genuinely concerned about TransLink’s ongoing money woes

by Stephanie Ryan on January 30th, 2012 at 3:22 PM
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      As I sit here on SkyTrain—it looks as if it will take me up to twice as long to get downtown as I’d anticipated due to yet another service delay—I’m pleased with the announcement that construction will finally begin on the long-overdue Evergreen Line. But I continue to wonder how the Mayors’ Council will actually pay for it, as well as expanded rapid transit and bus service in Surrey and throughout the region.

      My prediction? TransLink’s finances will continue to be a victim of political paralysis, and homeowners should expect big increases in their property taxes to close the gap.

      Under TransLink’s newest governance structure, the provincial government has effectively downloaded the responsibility of operating regional transit to TransLink without giving them any way to pay the bills.

      There was much hoopla last September when the TransLink Mayors’ Council approved an additional two-cent-per-litre gas tax to fund the first $40 million of its $400 million portion of the Evergreen Line costs.

      But a report in mid December showed that the transit authority came up eight percent short on what it expected to generate from its existing 15-cent-per-litre gas tax in the region. The total shortfall came close to a hefty $26 million.

      As TransLink’s many gas taxes continue to increase the price of gas, more and more people choose to buy their gas outside of TransLink’s jurisdiction—in Aldergrove or south of the border. Even more are choosing to buy less gas and opt to take transit instead of driving, only exacerbating the pressure already on the system.

      It is safe to say that as the newest two-cent-per-litre tax raises the price of gas even further the Mayors’ Council can’t possibly expect to raise the full $40 million they had predicted they would be able to.

      The Mayors’ Council and the province have less than 12 months to come up with some sort of panacea funding solution for the $400 million they have agreed to pay, minus what they are still capable of raising though the two-cent gas tax.

      If they can’t find the money before time runs out, the Evergreen Line will be funded through—you guessed it—your property taxes.

      And for all those who believe that the provincial government may provide the Mayors’ Council with a host of new financing options to close the gap, think again.

      History has shown us time and time again that the provincial government is likely to veto any funding option deemed politically unpalatable, like a vehicle levy, especially given the prospect of a provincial election in May 2013.

      It is high time the province overhauled its legislation governing TransLink to put local officials back in charge of its operation and finances.

      Otherwise, we will continue to suffer from taxation without representation.

      Stephanie Ryan was a 2011 candidate for city council with the Surrey Civic Coalition.

      Comments

      10 Comments

      Casper

      Jan 30, 2012 at 5:03pm

      I have a way to resolve it: create healthy competition in the transit area.
      TransLink doesn't have a competitor so they can whine for more money.
      I'll bet this would all stop the minute they have a rival for their client base.

      Jim Van Rassel

      Jan 30, 2012 at 7:09pm

      What these bastards are really going for is "Free transit for all" with the bill being picked up by all BC Tax-payers, and then having that A-hole Gregor spouting off about Vancouver being the greenest city in the world.
      Jim Van Rassel
      Coquitlam BC

      anonymously yours

      Jan 30, 2012 at 8:31pm

      Stephanie, most everyone who is educated about transit matters knows the reason for TransLink’s financial problems: corruption and stupidity.

      No one in his or her right mind would raise a train 10 metres in the air and build stations two kilometres apart for buses to shuttle people to and from the stations. If it were the it thing to do, CP Rail would have done it 100 years ago. A comment by Rand in Eric Doherty’s recent article is illuminating (TransLink is paying $100 million annually in performance payments to its private partners for the Canada Line and is going broke doing it):

      http://www.straight.com/article-593651/vancouver/eric-doherty-transit-de...

      If TransLink goes ahead with the Evergreen Line, it will send transit fares soaring and will not address the overcrowding on buses (in fact, it will worsen it). Furthermore, the Evergreen Line will be connecting to the existing SkyTrain at Burnaby and will create a bottleneck. I can’t emphasize to you how utterly incompetent TransLink is for not understanding this.

      Do you keep in touch with the Mayor in Surrey? Contact Dianne Watts who was recently emailed about the scandal surrounding the Evergreen Line and Canada Line. The email is titled: TransLink Irrelevant and Corrupt.

      Taxpayers R Us

      Jan 30, 2012 at 9:14pm

      Translink is the biggest, most obscene tax scam this province has ever seen. They beg for money, they get it, misspend it, and then they go begging elsewhere..

      ..but it comes out of the same pocket - ours.

      P3

      Jan 30, 2012 at 9:28pm

      Audit the P3 scam - there is money for generations of free transit being channeled to BC Liberal / Federal Cons cronies.

      Moodier

      Jan 30, 2012 at 10:03pm

      Stay classy, Jim: it's no wonder you can't get elected.

      Tony Kry

      Jan 31, 2012 at 2:00am

      Casper, your idea is exactly what Metro Vancouver needs; a competitor to provide services where Translink cannot feasibly do so due to financing.
      To elaborate, my suggestion would have licenses issued to independent logistic companies that would be able to do routes that Translink can't afford to run. These companies would likely be just local operators with a safe vehicle. They would be responsible for their finances, and no tax-payer money would fund them. Such operators in Ukraine work perfectly well alongside the local transit buses, and best of all, would create new jobs.

      e.a.f.

      Jan 31, 2012 at 2:13am

      the lieberals downloaded trans link to Metro to reduce what they had to declare as a deficiet. Translink in turn gets to tax the citizens of the lower mainland. Not a good fit for anybody but the lieberals. People are being nickelled & dimed to death each time there is an increase in the gas tax or fares.

      People will try to find work closer to their homes in the burbs. A gas bill of $300 to $500 a month would enable someone to take a lower paying job closer to home, save the money on gas and enjoy more time with their family. The other thing we are seeing is people exiting for places like Alberta and points east. Lower taxes, easier to get to work, better transportation systems.

      Why they continue to build sky train type systems is beyond me. The C Train in Calgary runs at grade and does a great job for a hell of a lot less money.

      Translink is just another level of bureacracy for which we the tax payers have to pay. It should be a provincial responsibility and let them deal with the books, downloading everything to municipal levels may make it look like the lieberals have a lower deficiet than they really do but it does nothing for the citizens of B. C.

      At one time the bus system was part of B.C. Hydro, which in turn was a crown corp. Things ran a lot better at a lower cost.

      Jim Van Rassel

      Jan 31, 2012 at 6:55am

      Moodier Class has nothing to do with it, and as far as getting elected goes, it was a temporary bout of insanity the convinced me to run. I do have to say I did learn how crooked the whole municipal system really is. Running, was an awesome learning experience.
      Jim Van Rassel
      Coquitlam BC