2015 Metro Vancouver Transportation and Transit Plebiscite - Result In - 62% NO

[inane]

A big complaint is the lack of oversight in translink, so here's something they try to do about it and is just PR. Don't do anything, you're a faceless bureaucracy hell bent on wasting tax dollars. Do something about it and is desperate PR. I have yet to hear a coherent argument for no other than wanting change at translink which of course isn't the question on the ballot or up to the mayors or anyone other than the province.

[Gurn]

wonder what they are giving Jimmy to do this?

I was always amazed, at how after running Expo 86 for the sum of one dollar, all the Overwaitea malls ended up with liquor stores in them.

[aGENT]

A big complaint is the lack of oversight in translink, so here's something they try to do about it and is just PR. Don't do anything, you're a faceless bureaucracy hell bent on wasting tax dollars. Do something about it and is desperate PR. I have yet to hear a coherent argument for no other than wanting change at translink which of course isn't the question on the ballot or up to the mayors or anyone other than the province.

Than they should actually DO something that isn't a PR move that reeks of desperation by appointing a guy who could be dead tomorrow.

People want a concrete plan and a damn near guarantee that their tax dollars aren't simply going to be wasted and misspent before forking over even more of them. We don't want promises, we don't want pending audits, we don't want PR stunt "accountability committees".

Before even having a vote on a new tax they should have been proactive about getting their house in order. Show us we can trust you to make smart, strategic and fiscally responsible decisions before asking for the money, idiots

[inane]

Than they should actually DO something that isn't a PR move that reeks of desperation by appointing a guy who could be dead tomorrow.

People want a concrete plan and a damn near guarantee that their tax dollars aren't simply going to be wasted and misspent before forking over even more of them. We don't want promises, we don't want pending audits, we don't want PR stunt "accountability committees".

Before even having a vote on a new tax they should have been proactive about getting their house in order. Show us we can trust you to make smart, strategic and fiscally responsible decisions before asking for the money, idiots

How much more concrete can you get than a condition of the vote being an independent account set up for the sole purpose of constructing the items on the plan, with annual independent audits and now with an accountability committee? What more do you want?

I note that's far above and beyond anything any other government agency or group has to go through. And that translink has been audited repeatedly and shown to be a pretty efficient agency now, even though it doesn't *feel* like it.

Besides, any action like that you want is completely on the Province to take, so taking your angst out on translink is kinda dumb.

FYI, here's a fun little graph for you to enjoy.

Where's the outrage over this? How many millions does it take to lose before we question this kind of spending? Why no vote on the massey bridge? New highways?

[aGENT]

Besides, any action like that you want is completely on the Province to take, so taking your angst out on translink is kinda dumb.

Who said I was taking it out on Translink? My "angst" is decidedly pointed at the government.

[DonLever]

The latest poll show the NO side is ahead by a large margin.

VANCOUVER -- As Metro Vancouvers transit referendum nears, Yes voters are stomping off to the No side or holding their ground with noses pinched at the idea of giving more money to TransLink, a new poll shows.

The Insights West poll, conducted last week, showed 55 per cent of 1,604 Metro Vancouver residents planned to say No to the regional congestion tax for transportation improvements, while just 33 per cent remained in favour of it.

The word TransLink may not appear anywhere on the ballot, but its the word thats on everyones mind going into the plebiscite, said Mario Canseco, a vice-president at Insights West.

There hasnt really been a very effective way to counter the arguments from the No side related to mismanagement, said Canseco.

It appears that even Yes voters are having trouble focusing on the substance of the plan rather than the organization that will implement it. Just 11 per cent of Yes voters say they have confidence in the transit authority to do a good job, while 70 per cent say theyre dissatisfied with TransLinks performance but support the tax anyway, the poll found.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/side+clear+majority+ahead+referendum+poll/10872713/story.html#ixzz3Tw8ULlKa

[johngould21]

wonder what they are giving Jimmy to do this?

I was always amazed, at how after running Expo 86 for the sum of one dollar, all the Overwaitea malls ended up with liquor stores in them.

....and Sunday shopping wasn't that far behind. 7 days a week, shopping until midnight, was it REALLY necessary? Jimmy got far more than a dollar from Expo.

[Salmonberries]

0.5 % eh? Ouch!!

[ronthecivil]

What I don't get is that if people are hating translink as opposed to fixing transit why not vote yes on the referendum then immediately turn around and get the petitions out to put out another referendum to banish translink? What we have going on right now is similar to the US republican way of trying to banish the government by refusing to pay taxes.....

Needless to say, that way doesn't work........

So why no vote yes, then put out a "Remove translink and put BC transit back in control" petition out? Have your cake and eat it too.....

[ronthecivil]

How much more concrete can you get than a condition of the vote being an independent account set up for the sole purpose of constructing the items on the plan, with annual independent audits and now with an accountability committee? What more do you want?

I note that's far above and beyond anything any other government agency or group has to go through. And that translink has been audited repeatedly and shown to be a pretty efficient agency now, even though it doesn't *feel* like it.

Besides, any action like that you want is completely on the Province to take, so taking your angst out on translink is kinda dumb.

FYI, here's a fun little graph for you to enjoy.

Where's the outrage over this? How many millions does it take to lose before we question this kind of spending? Why no vote on the massey bridge? New highways?

You really don't know? It's called pavement politics for a reason.

Don't play dumb. You already know the answers to your questions. If it's the majority getting the subsidy, then it's not a subsidy, it's their entitlement. They will claim they already paid the taxes for that and with the toll on top that's plenty. Not that they pay the toll themselves. Would rather detour via to the Putello or whatever if only to stick it to the government.

[-DLC-]

This blog is from someone who was on the inside and feels quite strongly about it all. Take it for what it's worth.

http://www.insidetranslink.ca/

[aGENT]

What I don't get is that if people are hating translink as opposed to fixing transit why not vote yes on the referendum then immediately turn around and get the petitions out to put out another referendum to banish translink? What we have going on right now is similar to the US republican way of trying to banish the government by refusing to pay taxes.....

Needless to say, that way doesn't work........

So why no vote yes, then put out a "Remove translink and put BC transit back in control" petition out? Have your cake and eat it too.....

Because someone would need to organize/spearhead that movement. Are you volunteering?

[inane]

Because someone would need to organize/spearhead that movement. Are you volunteering?

He's right though, voting no because you don't like translink is self-defeating. You vote yes, and then vote out these idiots in Victoria. If you can mount a petition to change translink as well, great. But voting no just cause you don't like translink, you're just shooting yourself in the foot.

[Chalky]

What I don't get is that if people are hating translink as opposed to fixing transit why not vote yes on the referendum then immediately turn around and get the petitions out to put out another referendum to banish translink? What we have going on right now is similar to the US republican way of trying to banish the government by refusing to pay taxes.....

Needless to say, that way doesn't work........

So why no vote yes, then put out a "Remove translink and put BC transit back in control" petition out? Have your cake and eat it too.....

Because it was the job of the government to not allow transit to get this bad. Petitions and referendums are useless. I will vote no despite the fact it is "A" fix, because it is not the "THE" fix. This referendum is not binding, and regardless of the outcome, it will be pushed through. We're going to be paying for upgrades no matter what.

[inane]

Because it was the job of the government to not allow transit to get this bad. Petitions and referendums are useless. I will vote no despite the fact it is "A" fix, because it is not the "THE" fix. This referendum is not binding, and regardless of the outcome, it will be pushed through. We're going to be paying for upgrades no matter what.

Voting no on a hope that 'the' fix will be forthcoming is naive. There's absolutely no indication the Province has any interest in changing anything. Again, it feels good to vote no, but self-defeating.

[Chalky]

He's right though, voting no because you don't like translink is self-defeating. You vote yes, and then vote out these idiots in Victoria. If you can mount a petition to change translink as well, great. But voting no just cause you don't like translink, you're just shooting yourself in the foot.

How bout voting no because the tax is wrong? I dislike Translink, but my decision is based solely on it being the wrong type of tax. Translink should not be funded by a VAT.

[Chalky]

Voting no on a hope that 'the' fix will be forthcoming is naive. There's absolutely no indication the Province has any interest in changing anything. Again, it feels good to vote no, but self-defeating.

It's not self defeating. I'm not going to support something that I feel is wrong. A yes vote is giving up on doing something properly.

[aGENT]

Voting no on a hope that 'the' fix will be forthcoming is naive. There's absolutely no indication the Province has any interest in changing anything. Again, it feels good to vote no, but self-defeating.

And voting "yes" in the hopes that a fix will be forthcoming is....?

[Intoewsables]

Well if not desperate, that campaign is certainly active. I've twice had people wearing mayor's council uniforms trying to get me to sign some sort of petition regarding the yes campaign while I was waiting at a bus stop. I've had to tell them both I was voting no before they asked why and gave me a dirty look.

Haha, I ran into this yesterday as well. Someone followed me around at school trying to get me to sign a petition as well. Ridiculous.

[inane]

And voting "yes" in the hopes that a fix will be forthcoming is....?

Voting yes is voting yes on these transit improvements despite the current system. It's not in the hopes that a fix is forthcoming. Again, there's no reason to believe a fix is forthcoming whether you vote yes or no. At least with yes you'll get some improved transit that we need now.