Premier Christy Clark says she's open to reconsidering the fall date for a referendum on TransLink. No wonder. Most of the mayors in the region are steadfast against holding the referendum. And, even if the mayors softened their stance, the main obstacle remains: How do you have a yes or no referendum question that forces taxpayers to agree to a tax hike? Because, let's face it, any referendum is going to include some way of trying to get more money out of the taxpayers to fund the infrastructure.
Now, if the referendum contained questions like: Would you be willing to have your taxes raised slightly if TransLink did an across the board 20 per cent pay/bonus reduction to all staff first? or, Are you in favour of dismantling TransLink and starting from scratch? - then you might have slightly better odds of getting a majority yes vote.
The unfortunate reality is that taxpayers rarely vote yes for spending more of their hard-earned money on government projects. Even if they do depend on those projects to get from Point A to Point B.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone was reported as saying, "The mayors have not come together to unite on a common vision for transit and transportation priorities, yet it's their responsibility to do so." Apparently he wasn't joking when he said this.
Mayors are elected to promote and protect their own turf. Or at least that's what the taxpayers say they want them to do. Common visions that include other municipalities are seldom on their "vote-for-me" brochures.
One only has to look at the Pattullo Bridge situation to see the clash of territories. New Westminster is trying to stop the flood of traffic evading the new Port Mann Bridge tolls. The city isn't receiving a whole lot of sympathy or support from the league of Lower Mainland mayors. In fact the city is appealing to Clark for action. Meanwhile TransLink is still trying to come up with updated traffic stats on the bridge.
Sigh ... it's a little like being trapped in a roundabout for eternity.
