Editor:
The expiration of union contracts has presented the public with an opportunity to consider the aspect of labour costs when deciding on how to vote in TransLink’s upcoming funding referendum.
Unions representing transit workers are demanding another round of wage increases, or fairness as they like to call it, and Canada Line workers have voted in favour of job action. With TransLink’s top seven mangers each making between $300,0000 and $468,000 annually, and transit cops being paid $100,000 a year, TransLink has shown little interest in controlling expenses when it comes to wages.
B.C. residents have already seen how a unionized transportation monopoly has resulted in a ferry service that many can no longer afford to use. Will Lower Mainland residents subject themselves to more of the same from an expanded transit monopoly, or will they vote against the transit funding referendum and apply the brakes to this gravy train?
Glen Gerow, White Rock
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Re: Transit gets ‘em talking, Jan. 7 column.
I agree with columnist Frank Bucholtz: with the upcoming TransLink referendum, the next few months will be exciting for residents South of the Fraser.
We all cope daily with congestion. For a long time, rapid transit has been an imaginary dream – a buzzword with little buzz. All the while, congestion grows, creating a costly nightmare. With no viable alternatives, people feel forced to drive in this mess.
But this spring, we have a chance to vote ‘yes’ to light rail in Surrey and bus rapid transit throughout the region.
With strategic investments in rapid transit – and the new living and working patterns that accompany them – less people will need to travel great distances to get to work. Finally, people will have a way out of congestion.
It will come as no surprise that, when people have a choice, they overwhelmingly prefer to live, work, play – and shop – close to home.
While some hop the borders for shopping, will they continue to wait in border lines – wasting time and gas – just to save a few cents on every purchase? Not likely – especially as the ‘decongestion’ helps their budget.
There is no doubt that Surrey is emerging as the new great hub in the Lower Mainland. Just look at how the SkyTrain has transformed Downtown Surrey.
With a series of new smaller hubs evolving South of Fraser – each with more jobs, recreation and housing options than before – rapid transit will help guide the growth and connect the dots.
We will travel less, and when we need to travel, we will spend less time and money.
Sounds like progress to me.
Patrick Thompson, Delta
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Re: Metro mayors pick Hepner, Jan. 20.
The news that newly minted Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner had been named vice-chair for the Translink Mayor’s Council to push for a “yes” vote in the transit plebiscite reads more like an April Fool’s Day story.
Hepner, the 10-year councillor who is surprised it costs money for extra police and to actually run new pool complexes, and never mentioned extra taxes during her campaign, now scoops up another $50,000 in public money for the position of vice-chair.
This is a woman asking us for trust? This is a group, using our money to try to buy our vote.
When provincial MLAs, municipal councillors and Translink executives and boards start making cuts in spending to their per diems, pensions, severance packages, travel budgets, car allowances, cellphone budgets and more perks, then I might consider voting for a new tax.
But that never happens. The first go-to move of our free-spending politicians is to go to the taxpayer to fund never-ending requests for cash.
Sorry. The buck stopped here a long time ago.
The TransLink wish-list is over-priced and the tax will become permanent, only to rise in the future.
Vote “no” and tell them to live within their means.
Peter Batistoni, Surrey