Another $1 billion found for public transit

[Moviefan-2]

As Kathleen Wynne and her buddies blather on about an "adult conversation" on funding public transit, I continue to find ways to provide the funds -- without new "revenue tools."

I have already proposed scrapping all-day kindergarten, which frees up $1.5 billion per year for public transit.

Here's another suggestion: Scrap the Clean Energy Benefit.

Potential savings: According to the Globe and Mail, that would save $1 billion per year (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ergy-mess/article11628059/#dashboard/follows/).

The Clean Energy Benefit serves no useful purpose other than to protect the Liberals' hides. The benefit prevents consumers from learning the true costs of the Liberal government's energy boondoggle.

If anything, it's fundamentally dishonest. Since the government believes we have to do our part to save the planet, it should at least ensure people know the true cost.

So, with the scrapping of all-day kindergarten and the scrapping of the Clean Energy Benefit, there is $2.5 billion in annual revenues available for public transit -- more than the $2 billion per year that Kathleen Wynne claims she needs.

And all without a single penny in new "revenue tools."

 

[elmo]

As Kathleen Wynne and her buddies blather on about an "adult conversation" on funding public transit, I continue to find ways to provide the funds -- without new "revenue tools."

I have already proposed scrapping all-day kindergarten, which frees up $1.5 billion per year for public transit.

Here's another suggestion: Scrap the Clean Energy Benefit.

Potential savings: According to the Globe and Mail, that would save $1 billion per year (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ergy-mess/article11628059/#dashboard/follows/).

The Clean Energy Benefit serves no useful purpose other than to protect the Liberals' hides. The benefit prevents consumers from learning the true costs of the Liberal government's energy boondoggle.

If anything, it's fundamentally dishonest. Since the government believes we have to do our part to save the planet, it should at least ensure people know the true cost.

So, with the scrapping of all-day kindergarten and the scrapping of the Clean Energy Benefit, there is $2.5 billion in annual revenues available for public transit -- more than the $2 billion per year that Kathleen Wynne claims she needs.

And all without a single penny in new "revenue tools."

so now we have transit and a surplus...well done. I wonder how the Libs will manage to burn the surplus...maybe move another plant to buy a seat?

 

[Moviefan-2]

so now we have transit and a surplus...well done. I wonder how the Libs will manage to burn the surplus...maybe move another plant to buy a seat?

Well, they still have a $12-billion annual deficit to address.

But the Liberals insist they have that well in hand. They wouldn't lie to us ... would they?

 

[larry]

well, the first step would be to review the proposed transit plan to see if it is even feasible, how much neighbourhood disruption, is it gold-plated?, does it take care of future population trends (whatever they are)?. wait till the subway gets to hwy 7 and all the toronto riff-raff start bothering folks up there. like scarboro town centre and yorkdale now. it's not all good.

 

[groggy]

All the clean air/green energy talk is pretty expensive at present, but its also just smart long term planning.
Despite the present boost from shale oil and gas, we are still at peak oil and energy is just going to continue to get more and more expensive.

I'm ok with paying for those programs for the long term good.

 

[Tony2Tap]

As Kathleen Wynne and her buddies blather on about an "adult conversation" on funding public transit, I continue to find ways to provide the funds -- without new "revenue tools."

I have already proposed scrapping all-day kindergarten, which frees up $1.5 billion per year for public transit.

Here's another suggestion: Scrap the Clean Energy Benefit.

Potential savings: According to the Globe and Mail, that would save $1 billion per year (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ergy-mess/article11628059/#dashboard/follows/).

The Clean Energy Benefit serves no useful purpose other than to protect the Liberals' hides. The benefit prevents consumers from learning the true costs of the Liberal government's energy boondoggle.

If anything, it's fundamentally dishonest. Since the government believes we have to do our part to save the planet, it should at least ensure people know the true cost.

So, with the scrapping of all-day kindergarten and the scrapping of the Clean Energy Benefit, there is $2.5 billion in annual revenues available for public transit -- more than the $2 billion per year that Kathleen Wynne claims she needs.

And all without a single penny in new "revenue tools."

So you are saying to scrap programs which benefit all Ontarians (not that I agree or disagree with them) and spend the money on the GTA which has about 40% of the provinces population? The city of Toronto contributes nothing more? This would be a tough sell.

 

[elmo]

All the clean air/green energy talk is pretty expensive at present, but its also just smart long term planning.
Despite the present boost from shale oil and gas, we are still at peak oil and energy is just going to continue to get more and more expensive.

I'm ok with paying for those programs for the long term good.

Electricity goes up as of today, partly because of the high cost of the green energy programs. I'm not OK paying for this as I believe the higher cost is because of the governments inefficiencies and not the actual cost of the program. Their energy portfolio is a complete joke.

 

[elmo]

So you are saying to scrap programs which benefit all Ontarians (not that I agree or disagree with them) and spend the money on the GTA which has about 40% of the provinces population? The city of Toronto contributes nothing more? This would be a tough sell.

If they impose a variety of taxes the whole province will pay as well.

 

[Tony2Tap]

If they impose a variety of taxes the whole province will pay as well.

That is true, but most of the taxes I have seen mentioned are GTA specific...Gas Tax, Parking Tax, Tolls, Sales Tax

 

[FOOTSNIFFER]

Quebec produces hydro at 7c/KwH in their brand new Romaine installation which they're trying to flog to New England. Why can't/don't we buy it instead? In genneral, why on earth is this country so fucked up? Why don't we have an extensive subway transit system that connects exurbs like oakville, milton and miss. to the city. With all the taxes we pay we should have a fun, vibrant downtown, a decent way to deal with the poor souls who are forced to sleep on street grates downtown. Where on earth is the leadership in this stupid province and country? We're one of the richest countries in the world!! Yet nobody would know it from walking around Toronto.

Fred Lazar wrote an interesting article regarding Porter's proposal to expand service at the Island, in which he contrasted what other (real) cities around the world like Melbourne (voted as the city with the best quality of life in the world) were able to do in the last ten years. That city rehabilitated an industrial zone along the Yarra river, their waterfront, into a really beautiful and vibrant district. Same in London. Here we cheap everything down to the ugliest common denominator. Everything is viewed through a business business business cheap-assed mindset that values expediency and efficiency over quality and beauty. Yes, there definitely is a place for efficiency with the taxpayer's money, but sometimes the people should just give it a rest. Where's our version of Central Park here? Over a grand central square fringed with public buildings and restaurants? A city shouldn't be a collection of malls and cheap commercial spaces. It has to convey a warmth to its own people, a sense that we are all part of a community, not just consumers in a bazaar. Here we have our private spaces/homes and public utilities like the office and mall, but not really a third space where people can mingle without a commercial agenda....that's what we need.

 

[Moviefan-2]

So you are saying to scrap programs which benefit all Ontarians (not that I agree or disagree with them) and spend the money on the GTA which has about 40% of the provinces population? The city of Toronto contributes nothing more? This would be a tough sell.

Perhaps, but the difficulty with a provincial premier trying to make transit decisions for one city or region is that you have the same problem no matter what you do.

Provincial "revenue tools" are used to raise money for the province's coffers.

Many people in Toronto may be in a position to pay more in "revenue tools" than people in Elliot Lake. That doesn't automatically mean people in Toronto should be entitled to better services.

If the premier wants to go that route, she should eliminate many of the taxes paid by people throughout the province and move to a user fee system. She should also become a champion for privatizing the TTC.

If she's going to continue to be an advocate for publicly funded services, then any solution that is specific to the GTA is going to have to include trade-offs against priorities outside of the GTA.