The thrust of the referendum campaign – even before the wording is chosen – must be: “No is not an option.”
So far, most observers – transit advocates, the business community, the TransLink board, the Opposition, the media – are holding back, waiting until there is something substantive to respond to.
But now is the time to be clear: A future without transit expansion for Metro Vancouver cannot be an option. The more voices that make that clear to the government, the better.
If the provincial government comes up with wording that could result in no further transit expansion for the foreseeable future (and actually require cutbacks to current levels of service), then Sean Nelson’s proposal looks good: “Spoiled ballots – especially if they’re all spoiled by writing “NO IS NOT AN OPTION” across them.”
Has that ever worked, or does it just play into the hands of people that are willing to play within the process?
“yes” or “no” is is a function of wording the question:
Option A: “do you support a better public transit system in MetroVancouver” .. and likely 80% of folks would say “yes”.
Option B: ” Do you support the following tax and fee increases in MetroVancouver for better public transit system:
1) a 1/2 % sales tax increase,
2) road tolling on all major bridges, tunnels & major roads,
3) higher annual fees for bigger engine sizes ?”
and likely 80% of folks will vote “no” on this question.
Option B’s fees and taxes is what the MetroVancouver Mayors’ Council has proposed.
Note that we should also ask “Do you support adjusting public sector salaries and benefits to be more in line with higher risk, longer hour private sector jobs?” .. but of course that would not be on the ballot by our majority socialist MetroVancouver council.
As stated earlier, wages incl. benefits are too high for most public servants and as such any more tax increases or levvies cannot and should not be blindly OKed by the public !
Yes to more transit, but also yes to less car use and lower public sector wages&benefits !
Minister Stone favours a simple question, but Premier Clark seems determined to make it multiple choice with “none of the above” at the bottom.
If the question is simple the campaign can be simple and all the mayors will get on board.
If the question is multiple choice (divide and conquer) and especially if it includes “none of the above” then the result is virtually guaranteed to be “none of the above”. It is only under that scenario that we are suggesting a highly visible ballot spoiling campaign.
Your campaign against public sector wages is a little hard to understand. Vancouver has the highest cost of living in the country yet only the 22nd highest median wage. Chopping more middle class salaries and forcing our bus drivers to live in garden shed sized condos or commute from Abbotsford doesn’t look like a good move for the economy or the environment.
Seriously? Is the idea to use the (awful) first-past-the-post style? Anything that has 3-4 “yes” options and a single “No” sounds like it’s designed to split votes.