It’s hard to believe, but there may actually be a more wasteful process for improving Metro Vancouver’s transit system than the one proposed by the Mayor’s Council. And if the NO vote carries the day, we’re all going to get to see it first hand. And pay for it.
How can that possibly be?
Let’s begin by understanding that saying ‘NO’ is not a plan. In fact, it’s not even really a YES / NO situation. A more accurate wording choice would be, CONTINUE / RESTART.
Ah, but what about the no-tax-better-plan website? Certainly THAT offers a plan? Well, if you really read it, not so much. It’s more like 90% tax protest and 10% vague concept put forth by a group of ‘everyday people who live across our great region’. A fine example of grassroots democracy, to be sure. But it’s FAR from the debated and agreed-upon priority list pushed through the painful filters of political reality by the region’s Mayors.
Therefore, a NO vote really means ‘Back to the Drawing Board’. And we all know how that plays out. Committees, studies, delays and infighting. Kaching, Kaching, Kaching. All while we watch construction, land and opportunity costs rise, and congestion get worse.
So if you really want to change Translink, improve the plan and make things better, vote YES. Then get on a committee. Go to public meetings. Write letters. Hold our leaders responsible.
But PLEASE don’t vote NO and waste even more of our money on a restart none of us can afford.
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For a more ‘YES’ oriented approach, have a look at the video below, which Unicycle Creative recently helped produce with HUB, Vancouver’s Cycling Connection.
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