tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post7355752518917340693..comments2024-03-11T12:46:28.806-04:00Comments on You. Me. Ride This Crazy Train - Adventures and Observations on The GO: From the horse's mouth - how to pay for transit expansion across the GTAC.J. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-91898547080941740762013-04-06T23:02:05.903-04:002013-04-06T23:02:05.903-04:00MATT: "What if you have teenagers who drive t...MATT: "What if you have teenagers who drive the shit out of your car?" Haha! This is me exactly! My parents are already telling me to tone down on the driving because they're spending tons of money for gas right now, and it's only been two weeks. :(<br /><br />I think the High Occupancy Tolls are a good idea! Also, they have numerous highway tolls in the United States, especially around New York/New Jersey. And isn't that like what we have on the 407 or whatever it is? 407/427/something like that...<br /><br />And TomW, that's pretty good to know about the parking space levy thing! I mean, most bigger malls that I've seen have underground parking and parking garages anyways, but even just being able to convert floors of parking garages to stores might benefit them, however you do it...Ambsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-86426377712496088942013-04-05T16:38:21.762-04:002013-04-05T16:38:21.762-04:00Oh and Tom: maybe I am having a bad day or there n...Oh and Tom: maybe I am having a bad day or there needs to be a sarcasm/flippant font built, but you are definitely coming across as an a$$.<br /><br />Squigglesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-27092544642881781232013-04-05T16:34:43.532-04:002013-04-05T16:34:43.532-04:00Re: "Millions, Billions, whatever."
I m...Re: "Millions, Billions, whatever."<br /><br />I meant that we are dealing with serious money, doesn't matter the quantity. Whether it is millions or billions or trillions, it is more than the province can afford at this moment in time. Plus, if they can't balance/show some governance with a smaller amount, why should they be given more to play with?Squigglesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-3761395553166634432013-04-05T11:22:46.040-04:002013-04-05T11:22:46.040-04:00Squiggles said...
"Millions, Billions, whate...Squiggles said... <br />"Millions, Billions, whatever."<br /><br />If you don't think there's any significant difference between the two, I can't take your comments on our province's finances seriously.TomWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13453251490705724225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-19600605594746864032013-04-04T17:19:03.140-04:002013-04-04T17:19:03.140-04:00"There are 262 Metrolinx employees who made o..."There are 262 Metrolinx employees who made over $100,000."<br /><br />Gaaah!!<br /><br />Can them all and that's $26 million a year right there!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-46751996335626310752013-04-04T13:42:04.140-04:002013-04-04T13:42:04.140-04:00Don't you love the terminology?
First it was ...Don't you love the terminology?<br /><br />First it was "revenue tools".<br /><br />Now it's "investment tools"!<br /><br />What's next, "prosperity tools"? "Happy joy joy tools?" "Orgasmatron tools"?<br /><br />I'd prefer they'd just say it like it is: "everyone pays more" tools.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-72154480925627552032013-04-04T12:57:59.504-04:002013-04-04T12:57:59.504-04:00Did you check out the Sunshine list? There are 262...Did you check out the Sunshine list? There are 262 Metrolinx employees who made over $100,000.<br /><br />Too many agencies doing the job that ministries should be doing.<br />Bickynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-12541669550798821482013-04-04T12:48:38.529-04:002013-04-04T12:48:38.529-04:00@Tom:
Millions, Billions, whatever. There is too ...@Tom:<br /><br />Millions, Billions, whatever. There is too much waste. They need to fix the basics before asking for more money from any taxpayer.Squigglesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-46434899232174675242013-04-04T12:02:28.772-04:002013-04-04T12:02:28.772-04:00Re: Squiggles... even if you got rid of the "...Re: Squiggles... even if you got rid of the "millions" in waste you say exists, it wouldn't pay for the *billions* needed for transit expansion. (1 billion = 1 thousand million).TomWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13453251490705724225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-3304067201163688822013-04-04T12:01:27.129-04:002013-04-04T12:01:27.129-04:00Re: parking space levies...
This would be on comme...Re: parking space levies...<br />This would be on commerical properties (not GO stations). Businesses would have an incentive to enocurage transit use, because then they can provide less parking.... providing mandated parking minimums are removed. (Example: big shopping malls would love everyone to take transit, because then they can convert those huge lots into profitable stores). <br />Alternatively, offices that provide free parking may start charging. ('Free' spaces could even be condidered a taxable benefit!)TomWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13453251490705724225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-12198795352557297082013-04-04T11:58:21.051-04:002013-04-04T11:58:21.051-04:00Re Matt:
* Development Charges - when build somet...Re Matt:<br />* Development Charges - when build something new in Ontario, you pay charge to the municipality, who then use this to pay for the associated infrastructure. The idea here would be to increase the amount paid, and use that as a revnue source.<br />* Fuel Tax: we c8urrently pay tax on gas (and diesel) - this would increase that. <br />* High Occupancy Tolls: allowing people to pay a toll to access HOV lanes when they onyl have one person in the vehicle<br />* Land Value Capture: Example... (1) someone builds a subway near your propety (2) your propety value goes up (3) you sell property (3) govt taxes the extra value from the new subway<br />* Property Tax: your propety tax funds transit already - including most of the captial costs (new buses, for example).<br />* Sales Tax: basically PST is 1% higher in certain municipalities( you're right about the problems)<br />* Transit Fare Increase: you could increase transit fares 5-fold, and you still wouldn't generate enough for transit expansion. TomWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13453251490705724225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-13611663930431965262013-04-03T13:04:25.798-04:002013-04-03T13:04:25.798-04:00Parking + fare = gas + insurance + parking. If I h...Parking + fare = gas + insurance + parking. If I have to pay either way, I'm not going to choose to ride while I am forced to listen to someone's phone call or music. I'll drive to work and come and go as I please, not according to Go's schedule mumzthewurdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06031988163452212905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-67261174905626284132013-04-03T09:00:06.926-04:002013-04-03T09:00:06.926-04:00Well I agree with you Flint, I think people here a...Well I agree with you Flint, I think people here are complaining about how much of our tax dollars are being wasted in the name of transit. Take Presto as the prime example. $600 million dollars and what do we get? A vastly inferior technology that still does not offer the functionality we were promised when the project was proposed.TTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-51249668710316814182013-04-03T02:51:06.968-04:002013-04-03T02:51:06.968-04:00Everyone wants something for nothing, but public i...Everyone wants something for nothing, but public infrastructure is paid for from the public purse -- that's called being a part of functioning society.<br /><br />I'm glad they're being somewhat transparent about it, at least.<br /><br />If your line of thought is "Why don't we just increase services while decreasing taxes?! It's so simple!" then you may want to re-evaluate how you're engaging with reality. Something needs to be done, and the longer we, as a society, throw a tantrum in the corner and shriek at the notion of paying to develop services, the worse our infrastructure is going to get.Flintnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-18905198146211683232013-04-02T18:22:29.045-04:002013-04-02T18:22:29.045-04:00If the money raised actually went to transit and r...If the money raised actually went to transit and roads, well, I might get behind it. Unfortunately, Ms Wynne has inherited a FIBeral party that can't be trusted with our tax dollars. I'm loathe to pay any more.<br /><br />Oh gee, a Metrolinx ad is on TV as I type this! How freakin' funny...Bickynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-85419040516131164422013-04-02T15:30:52.163-04:002013-04-02T15:30:52.163-04:00Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) Fee already exi...Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) Fee already exists - it's called a gas tax. <br /><br />This is ridiculousAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-79144211804987757912013-04-02T15:26:16.476-04:002013-04-02T15:26:16.476-04:00· Development Charges - What does this mean?
· E...· Development Charges - What does this mean?<br />· Employer Payroll Tax - What? You mean make employers foot the bill to get employees to work in a more reliable manner? Hmmm....<br />· Fuel Tax – Is this somehow different than a sales tax or a VKT fee? How?<br />· High Occupancy Tolls (HOT) - What is this?<br />· Highway Tolls - I don't object to this, personally, depending on how it is implemented.<br />· Land Value Capture - What is this?<br />· Parking Space Levy, including pay-for-parking at transit stations - As stated in a previous blog, I don't object to this in any way. I'm probably in the minority.<br />· Property Tax - Property tax increase to fund transit? I don’t see the correlation.<br />· Sales Tax - On what? Unless it's a municipal tax, I can't see how this is fair. But then, which municipalities will have one, and which ones won’t? Who determines what municipalities are exempt?<br />· Transit Fare Increase - This is like death and taxes. People should not freak out so much about this. Fares will increase regardless. Might as well worry about things you have more control over.<br />· Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKT) Fee - Wait a minute...is this suggesting that someone tracks our mileage driven and each vehicle owner is then charged a proportionate fee to fund transit expansion? I can't see how this is a realistic method. What if you take long roadtrips, or any travel in which public transit is not an option? What if you have teenagers who drive the shit out of your car? Are cab drivers who put 500,000 kms on a taxi going to be subject to the same rules? How could something this broad possibly work?MATTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-19809930800036689972013-04-02T15:25:02.966-04:002013-04-02T15:25:02.966-04:00*gagging sound* CASINO STUPID!*gagging sound* CASINO STUPID!ExGOnowTTCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-2617334775248340072013-04-02T14:50:54.573-04:002013-04-02T14:50:54.573-04:00Highway tolls aren't a bad idea. You want to ...Highway tolls aren't a bad idea. You want to encourage people to take transit, make them pay if they drive into the city. Maybe developmental charges - building outside the city, you should have to consider how people are going to get to their jobs in the city.<br /><br />But fare increases, parking space levies won't work. They charge me much more and it won't be worth it for me to take transit.Aprilnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-25891658863528128992013-04-02T13:29:33.346-04:002013-04-02T13:29:33.346-04:00Agreed.
If they cleaned their own house (and I ...Agreed. <br /><br />If they cleaned their own house (and I am included ALL Government of Ontario corporations and ministries, etc.) and showed that they could handle the money, then I would receive this news better.<br /><br />Cut the waste, then ask for money. Don't think you can piss away millions and then hit up the taxpayers to fund your little pet projects.Squigglesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-5458176059314515732013-04-02T13:06:11.821-04:002013-04-02T13:06:11.821-04:00I started raging at transit increase. Hells no.I started raging at transit increase. Hells no.C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.com