Mayors urged to approve TransLink funding plan

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A local group is urging Metro Vancouver mayors to approve the TransLink funding package they are supposed to vote on within the next month.

The plan includes a property tax hike, but it’s supposed to be a temporary measure to give the province time to approve other funding sources.  Peter Ladner with the Sustainable Transportation Coalition is not in favour of putting the burden on homeowners.

“We’re not in favour of property tax increases.  And our main point is that we absolutely have to keep investing in transportation in this region if we want to keep it on its feet.”

The group has other ideas on where the money should come from.

“We would like to see some portion of the carbon tax that’s expected to come into play in 2012.  We would like to see a vehicle levy that respects areas, it’s flexible and doesn’t penalize areas with no transportation at all, no public transit, and allows people with smaller cars to get a break.  And we’d like to see some steps toward road tolling, or road pricing.”

TransLink needs $700 million over the next decade to fund major projects including the Evergreen Line.  The current plan includes a two-cents-per-litre gas tax, but that is only expected to generate $30 million annually.

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