Jordan Bateman, B.C. Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, released this statement following Minister Todd Stone’s announcement on the TransLink referendum February 6:

“Moving this referendum past November is clearly a broken promise by the provincial government, and misses a chance to save taxpayers money by holding the referendum and municipal election at the same time. For example, the standalone HST referendum cost taxpayers more than $8 million.

“The region’s mayors whined and complained and have been allowed to run out the clock – they placed their own political hides ahead of what’s best for taxpayers, which was a referendum this fall.

“That said, we are glad to see the province agree that a prioritized project list and proposed tax hikes come from the politicians elected to be part of the TransLink mayors’ council. Hopefully these mayors will finally quit playing politics, roll up their sleeves and work to provide taxpayers with a list of the projects they want built and the taxes they want raised.”

Last month, the CTF laid out its suggestions for the referendum: 

• The mayors, in partnership with the TransLink board of directors, should release a prioritized list of projects, with cost estimates, and their preferred taxation models to pay for it.
• The question should link the TransLink plan and tax recommendation (e.g. Do you support the TransLink $23 billion capital plan, including the sales tax, vehicle levy, border tax and road tolls needed to fund it? Yes/No).
• No government funding (provincial, municipal, Metro Vancouver or TransLink) should be given to either side of the referendum campaign.
• The threshold for a yes vote should be 50 per cent plus one overall in the region PLUS a majority in each of at least 2/3 of the municipalities involved (16 of 23 TransLink voting areas; this is the same threshold as the Recall and Initiative Act).
• TransLink and the provincial government should be neutral during the campaign. Both should be limited in what they can spend and publish during the referendum. All publications should be vetted for fairness and subject to approval by the Auditor General – Local Government.