Local papers on TransLink
The local papers have been busy tracking the changes to TransLink, and they are giving it a mixed review.In Langley, the Advance reports that the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce likes the plan. Said President John Campbell:
"Some of our recommendations that were accepted in the final report include extending the footprint to the true Lower Mainland region, from Squamish to Hope, and that the Transportation Authority should be administered by a board appointed from a nomination pool of experts in transportation, engineering, financial planning, and business management. We are also very glad to see that the parking site tax will be eliminated, as we have continued to lobby against this unfair burden to the business community."
But letter writer Steven Noble, just wants better transit service:
We need more transit and a more dispersed structure of transit across the Lower Mainland, not just having everything run into and out of the downtown core.
Abbotsford Mayor George Ferguson is still pondering the pros and cons of being part of TransLink, according to the Abby Times:
"The regional idea makes sense, but can we afford it? When do we start seeing benefits?" said Ferguson.
On top of other fuel taxes, GVRD residents pay about 12 cents a litre of gas to fund Translink, a tax valley residents don't pay. Falcon said that tax could up an additional three cents a litre, but it's uncertain what increase valley residents could see.
Potentially, "that's 15 cents on top of what we pay," said Ferguson. Creating a Fraser Valley Regional District transit agency may be an option, he added. In comparison, if the federal government allowed the FVRD to add a two cent tax to a litre of gas, "we'd be able to operate a lot better transit system than we have now."
In the same paper, columnist Keith Baldrey points out that the real power in TransLink will lie with the Board, not the Council of Mayors:
But this council will not have the real power in the new TransLink. It will meet at most just four times a year, hardly often enough to exert real control over TransLink operations.
The council will simply approve, and occasionally update, the 10-year strategic plan that has yet to be created.
The real power will reside with an 11-member appointed board of 'professionals' whose function will be to provide the council with planning options.
They are having a similar debate in Chilliwack, where Mayor Clint Hames told the Chilliwack Times that he needs to see more details before supporting his community's inclusion. In the Progress, Hames showed more concern:
Hames said that even with a weighted vote, Chilliwack's voice could get lost in the din of demands from the 30 mayors on the council.
"Little Chilliwack with two votes will simply not be able to get our priorities in front (of the council agenda)," he said. "Maybe I'm being parochial, but I'm elected to be parochial. Why is it a bad thing to be parochial, especially when it's tax money collected from my community?"
A Maple Ridge Times editorial is cautiously optimistic about the plan. The North Shore News, meanwhile, is less hopeful:
The result could well be an unelected organization with sweeping powers to determine development throughout the region - and not in the way local governments envisioned. Under this scenario, local politicians and the province could be headed for another collision course.
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