Nathan Pachal, in his South Fraser Blog brings a needed perspective to the gas-tax debate:
Nobody likes paying taxes. Every election cycle politicians promise to keep taxes low while improving services and it’s really sad that people fall for this time and time again. In the South of Fraser, everyone complains about the lack of transit and that we should have better service….
In the Township of Langley, the majority of council pandered to the “no tax, increased service” crowd by passing a resolution asking TransLink’s mayor council to reconsider the gas tax. Of course they didn’t provide an alternative solution to increasing service and if you talk to any of the councillors that supported this motion, they’ll jump up and down and say that we need more transit service.
The fact is that the gas tax will also go to improve service in the South of Fraser. … [Map and details of “Moving Forward” improvements here.]
Some of these councillors would suggest that the South of Fraser or even Langley go-it-alone. … Abbotsford is an example of going-it-alone and they have the worst transit service in the South Coast. The Township would not do better as I have a feeling that the Township’s “no tax, improve service” councillors would not increase property tax by 25% to pay for improving transit.
While it’s true that transit service sucks in the South of Fraser, the only way it can be improved it by paying to improve it. While grandstanding and passing motions may get you re-elected, it will not improve transit.
While there’s not much good news to be found when looking at current economic conditions, at least the price of oil is going down on the presumption of reduced demand – and the price of gas will follow. What better time to add two cents to the price now, to pay for transit improvements that will give people some transportation options, reduce their vulnerability to future volatility in energy prices, and offset some of the ‘Gateway Effect’ that will only lock them into car dependence otherwise?
