91原创 Township council is going to in the debate over the 0.5 per cent sales tax increase to fund transit improvements. At the same time, Mayor Jack Froese is continuing to campaign for a 鈥測es鈥� vote, as part of the Mayors鈥� Council.
He is entitled to do so, and in fact it would be quite hypocritical if he didn鈥檛, given that he is one of 20 Metro Vancouver mayors who voted to go ahead with the sales tax plan.
Council heard from both the 鈥測es鈥� and 鈥渘o鈥� sides at its Monday meeting, and also heard from Mike Buda of the Mayors鈥� Council, who outlined the advantages for 91原创 if the sales tax increase is approved, and how soon transit improvements would come about.
It is likely that the majority of 91原创 Township residents who are planning to vote in this referendum are leaning towards the 鈥渘o鈥� side at this point in time. Very few 91原创 residents use transit regularly 鈥� it is infrequent and inconvenient, and a trip involving the bus, particularly if a transfer is involved, is painfully slow.
The improvements which are planned would make it easier for some residents to use the bus, but most will still likely stick with their cars, simply because they haven鈥檛 got enough time to use transit.
TransLink has rarely given 91原创 much thought, and even in the vision for transit outlined by the mayors, major improvements in 91原创 are a long ways off.
Residents will have to think about the costs of paying more sales tax versus the benefits they are likely to see, and then make their decisions accordingly.
Council鈥檚 neutrality allows them the ability to do so, freed from endless messaging from one side or the other.
