Give your input on the vehicle transit levy.

[Lurch]

http://www.translink.ca/en/Be-Part-o...ntal-Plan.aspx

My Opinion, vehicle levy is unfair.

I ride my bike, I use transit if I am going into Vancouver (very rare that I go down town, always just for an event), I drove my truck 14,232 km last year, most of that (just under 57%) was outside of the lower mainland, and 20% of that amount was outside the country. The truck is mostly used to haul my trailer for camping/or other road trips, lots of km on it from driving to the bike parks. I also use it for hauling me and the kids around to the riding trails (no I will not let them ride on the road)and other stuff on the weekend. I live a 10 minute bike ride from where I work.

I have a buddy who lives in mission, works in coquitlam and drives his civic every day, and refuses to take the West Coast Express because he doesnt like it. Imposing a vehicle levy based on fuel economy means I pay more than him.

Scenerio 2: I have alot of friends who are into hot rods that have large car collection. The cars rarely make 1000 km/year, mostly used for shows. WHy should they pay an extra $90 per vehicle since officially they are not the most fuel efficient vehicles (yet most of them have fuel injected engines swapped in) yet they still only drive 1 vehicle at a time?

Feel free to give your opinion but make your opinion count (whatever that may be) by filling out the survey.

[chupacabra]

I don't think it is unfair because in the big picture it helps pay for needed transit within the city while encouraging people to buy more fuel efficient vehicles. A better solution might be to add another tax to fuel within the city limits, but there would be reasons to oppose that as well.

[Lurch]

Sorry, since not everyone is going to do the survey, I guess I should add that the 2 options are increased property taxes for everyone ($55 per houshold average) or create the transit levy and charge vehicles ($35-$90 depending on the vehicle). I personnaly hate skytrain, I hate what it does to the neighborhood (ugly, noisy), and dont see a need for it in Coquitlam (bus service here works pretty good, so does west coast express) and would personally rather see something for getting people from Langley over the bridge easier to cut down on that traffic (something like a skytrain from langley to the WCE in Pitt Meadows/Maple ride and Langley to Surrey skytrain). I think property taxes are fair since everyone benefits and suffers together, not just 1 specific group bearing the costs for all to benefit.

I agree with taxing the fuel to punish fuel consumers instead of labeling a vehicle and charging because it only gets XX litres/100km. That way, buddy in his civic burning through a tank every week, pays more than me in my truck using up a tank every month.

[Marlowe]

How about a congestion fee for the privilege of accessing certain areas of Metro Vancouver by car?

I live in Deep Cove and own a car but I still ride or bus into the office (Downtown) every day. 70% of the people driving down there really don't need to be in their cars by themselves.

[roy]

sorry man, but the government have targets to cut GHG emissions and people with big trucks that only drive them for camping trips and to the bike park are not top priority. I have an old cherokee, the fuel economy sucks but I have the option of buying something else so can't complain too much. It doesn't really matter where you drive your truck it still creates more pollution than the guy in the civic probably.

Skytrain is an excellent service and shifts way more people than a bus service will and does it faster as it doesn't get caught up in traffic. The bus just can't offer the same advantages.

[roy]

Originally Posted by Marlowe

How about a congestion fee for the privilege of accessing certain areas of Metro Vancouver by car?

Downtown Vancouver is the perfect location for a congestion charging zone, stick a cordon on the bridges and a few of the roads to the east, easy!

[gerewh0te]

fair is a kid's word.

the most "fair" thing to do would be to add another tax to gasoline - A family with an SUV living and working downtown and driving 5K a year is doing a fuckload less damage than a family with a husband in a prius who "needs" a 4000 sq ft house so he commutes from abbotsford to van every day

[XXX_er]

Isnt it part of living in a world class city in the best place in the world ?

when we were in london it was 8 pound per day (20$ at the time ) just to take your car into the DT

I noticed mission had cheaper fuel than the rest of van ,are they outside the levy or SFT?

[Couch_Surfer]

Oh good, more tax.

[Marlowe]

Originally Posted by Couch_Surfer

Oh good, more tax.

I am fine with taxes and even an increase in taxes as long as there is a benefit in return such as roads, water, healthcare, schools, rec centres, and so on.

[connor]

Originally Posted by Lurch

I personnaly hate skytrain, I hate what it does to the neighborhood (ugly, noisy), and dont see a need for it in Coquitlam (bus service here works pretty good, so does west coast express)

Guess you haven't been stuck on the bus for over an hour to get from Lougheed to Ioco.

The Evergreen line can't come fast enough.

[Buster Bluth]

^
Yep, Port Moody rush hour traffic is enough to make me want to go on a psychotic rampage. The only problem I can think of with Skytrain is that they don't allow bikes during rush hour. Like wtf?? Otherwise, bring on the Evergreen (and/or redesign Port Moody traffic flow).

[Lurch]

Originally Posted by connor

Guess you haven't been stuck on the bus for over an hour to get from Lougheed to Ioco.

The Evergreen line can't come fast enough.

True enough I havent, but lougheed to coquitlam center has been pretty easy for me. Realtively speaking, I would rather see better transit options to north and south langley, except that would cut down the traffic on the tolled bridges which wouldnt make much business sense I guess.

[Lurch]

Originally Posted by roy

sorry man, but the government have targets to cut GHG emissions and people with big trucks that only drive them for camping trips and to the bike park are not top priority. I have an old cherokee, the fuel economy sucks but I have the option of buying something else so can't complain too much. It doesn't really matter where you drive your truck it still creates more pollution than the guy in the civic probably.

Skytrain is an excellent service and shifts way more people than a bus service will and does it faster as it doesn't get caught up in traffic. The bus just can't offer the same advantages.

Fair enough but would you not agree a higher fuel tax would do more to curb GHG by punishing you for the amount of fuel you would actually use instead of a flat fee based on the vehicle? Also, taxing the fuel will affect stuff like lawn mowers, motor bikes, motor sports, everything, all of which also contribute heavily to GHG emissions. I dont remember the exact numbers but cutting your lawn produced more emissions than the average car driven for something like 100kms on the highway.

[big-ted]

Put all vehicle tax on fuel. That way, those using the most, be it by driving the most or driving ridiculous vehicles, pay the most. Further, it's the simplest system so doesn't cost an arm and a leg to administrate.


Why is this shit so complicated?