The PST hasn’t even come back to B.C. yet and the Mayors’ Council for TransLink is already recommending raising it as an option to stave off transit service cuts.

On Tuesday, Metro Vancouver’s mayors tabled five options for the provincial government to consider for raising money. They include increasing the PST above 7% when it replaces the HST April 1. Other options include the controversial vehicle levy — already rejected three times — and TransLink getting a portion of the carbon tax or the implementation of a new regional carbon tax. Long-term options include land speculation and road pricing based on people’s road use.

Council chair Richard Walton suggested a PST hike ranging from 0.1 % to a “maximum” of 0.5%, raising between $50 million and $250 million.

If Victoria rejects all of these options, the consequences are service cuts, Walton said.

“I think you’ll find a very slow and steady erosion to the existing level of service.”

Raising the PST beyond what the public was promised brought a swift response from Bill Vander Zalm who co-founded the FightHST campaign.

“If the government dares change from what the people voted for, we’ll start a campaign all over again,” said the ex-B.C. premier said, adding “they can’t just decide that somebody can change it from what it was that people voted for.”

Jordan Bateman of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said the problem isn’t TransLink funding.

“They are all ignoring the real problem, which is overspending,” Bateman said.

Walton said the region’s mayors don’t expect the rest of B.C. to pay for its services. He said the province will be asked to find a way to raise and collect the PST just in Metro Vancouver, or if the hike can only be implemented B.C.-wide then give a portion of the money to BC Transit, which covers the rest of the province. . — with files from Michael Mui

Poll

Do you support adding up to 0.5% to the PST when it returns April 1 to prevent TransLink service cuts?

Friday, May 24, 2013

0% 0 votes	Yes
0% 0 votes	No
0% 0 votes	Not sure