I have not tried this WordPress “reblog” button before, but Gordon Price has written what I ought to have yesterday. “It is believed she misspoke” is simply the Sun editorial staff shoving in what her new Communications woman (brought in from Ottawa – the PMO) wanted them to say. See also Vaughan Palmer’s piece today.
Sigh.
Premier Christy Clark has ordered an audit of TransLink to address a shortfall in funding for the transportation authority. …
The premier had referenced a $30 million shortfall for the Evergreen Line, however it is believed she misspoke. “There is still a funding gap for the Evergreen Line — $30 million — and we are going to find that through an audit of TransLink,” Clark said.
– The Sun
The fifth audit or efficiency review in a decade.
The third time the rug has been pulled out from under regional politicians over a vehicle levy.
And not the last time for mis-understanding.
The Premier should know the essential facts before speaking: the Evergreen line’s costs are covered; that was the purpose of the $40 million gas-tax increase. Nothing has changed. The additional $30 million that makes up the region’s ‘Moving Forward’ commitment – to pay for improved bus services primarily south…
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Stephen Rees's blog 
I have an idea. Instead of vacuuming the bus upholstery and hoping for loose change (which is about all Translink can do after how many? audits in how many? years), how about they cancel those damn turnstyles at Skytrain stations?
That’ll save $150M right there! Those things will never pay for themselves anyways! Problem solved!
knittybiker
March 28, 2012 at 2:14 pm
I got a better idea, as breaking the contract and restoring the stations to their former pristine state would be very costly.
Let’s make sure that the car drivers that bitch about paying for transit (they swear will never ever use it…even if the price goes to 5 $ a litre) AND the spoke persons for the Canadian Taxpayers association– or whatever it is called– that believe fare gates will reduce cheating to nil (despite proof to the contrary from cities that have both fare gates and cheaters) are made to buy a special license plate “I … ..transit”
We could also do without the TransLink cops and use the many millions $ a year we pay them to improve transit as:
1-much bigger systems than SkyTrain do without a transit police.
2-hardly anyone pay the fines anyway..
Red frog
March 29, 2012 at 3:16 am
Apparently, nobody pays the fines because there is no enforcement mechanism (Translink isn’t allowed to enforce – this is Provincial jurisdiction). Also, any fine $ goes to the Province, not to Translink.
Talk about broken governance…
knittybiker
March 29, 2012 at 9:16 am