Because it doesn’t happen that much. (And since I once was one, I can relate.)
Two reasons why local politicians deserve some praise.
(1) Most of those on the TransLink Mayor’s Council voted for an increase to the gas tax (and the risk of an increase in property taxes) to fund increased transit just weeks before an election.
(2) Most of them have also refused to sign a ‘tax-control pledge’ promoted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business “to hold operating expense growth down to the combined increase in population and inflation…”
Some of those who won’t sign say it’s difficult to predict what financial challenges await future councils and it would be unwise to fetter those decisions. “Please be serious,” said Surrey Coun. Marvin Hunt, who ridiculed the pledge as “absurd” in light of rising costs forced down to cities by senior governments.
The former is actually related to the latter. Mayors voted to increase taxes because they believed we should buy a collective good – like the Evergreen Line – beyond what we currently own, and increase our costs accordingly. Like a homeowner adding an addition to the house.
What groups like the CFIB and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation really aim for is the defunding of government over time based on the simple premise of ‘No new (or increased) taxes.’ Don’t argue policy, don’t debate the merits of the expenditures, just draw the line in the sand and discredit government at every opportunity.
That strategy has worked extremely well for the Right in the U.S. Less articulated, of course, are the consequences: that government becomes increasingly dysfunctional while increases in productivity and wealth go up the food chain to those at the top, who most benefit from limits on taxes.
And that’s the reason to acknowledge the political courage of those local representatives, from all parts of the political spectrum, who have taken the risk to vote for, yes, a gas-tax increase to fund transit.
Here they are:
Mayor Heather Anderson (Anmore), Chief Kim Baird (Tsawwassen First Nation), Mayor Brenda Broughton (Lions Bay), Mayor Ernie Daykin (Maple Ridge), Mayor Ralph Drew (Belcarra), Councilor Peter Frinton (Bowen Island), Mayor Catherine Ferguson (White Rock), Mayor Pamela Goldsmith Jones (West Vancouver), Mayor Greg Moore (Port Coquitlam), Mayor Gregor Robertson (Vancouver), Mayor Richard Stewart (Coquitlam), Mayor Joe Trasolini (Port Moody), Mayor Richard Walton (North Vancouver District), Mayor Diane Watts (Surrey), Councilor Bob Fearnley (North Vancouver City) and Mayor Peter Fassbender (Langley City).
…and they didn’t cave when the Province asked them to bear the entire financial burden through property taxes while promising to look into other sources of funding “Real Soon Now”…
Good governance – who’d a thunk it?
Agreed BUT it is also worth noting that Mayor Corrigan, who opposed the measure, had very well articulated reasons for opposing the measure, and he certainly cannot be labelled a right wing shill. Malcolm Brodie also took a principled stand – and he would typically be seen as one of those inside the BC Liberal camp (though of course, like so many of our politicians past and present he claims to be “non-partisan”). The Mayors had been put into an invidious position, and were going to damned by whichever choice they made.
To get an idea of what happens when municipal governments are boxed in by tax-averse voters and rising costs (particularly public safety worker pensions), check out Michael Lewis’ unbelievable story about California municipalities in the current Vanity Fair: http://www.vanityfair.com/business/features/2011/11/michael-lewis-201111#gotopage1.
Brodie & Corrigan of course already have their toy trains, so had little to lose and lots of political points to gain.
Love it!
@Stephen
Yes, politicians can always find excuses not to support funding for transit in an election year but they are just that, excuses. No funding plan is ever going to be perfect, some people won’t like it. The property tax, while not the best way of funding transit, amounts to 13% of the total funding for Moving Forward. It is not that big a deal and certainly not worth voting against the whole package for. What is really hypocritically of five of the six mayors that voted against it is that they have received the most benefit from TransLink’s large transit and road projects. They have what they wanted so now they don’t support other projects. Ridiculous.