Jordan Bateman, B.C. Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation released this statement following the B.C. Government’s introduction of new governance changes at TransLink:
“The region’s mayors should have been careful about what they wished for – they wanted more influence over TransLink, and they just got it. And now the public will hold them accountable for TransLink’s actions.
“Fare hikes, asset sales, complaint oversight, executive salaries, strategic planning, and recommendations for new taxes, are now firmly in the mayors’ control. It’s up to them to walk the big talk they’ve been making for years on TransLink.
“The mayors’ first order of business should be slashing executive salaries. TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis is the highest-salaried local government employee in B.C. at $394,730. Jarvis makes $88,000 more than his counterpart in Toronto, $97,000 more than Montreal’s CAO, $203,000 more than King County’s boss, and $166,000 more than Portland’s transit head.
“Before there’s any talk of squeezing taxpayers for more dollars, executive pay, inefficiencies and TransLink management fiefdoms must be addressed.”
Is Canada Off Track?
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