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2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Transit Plans

Just for fun-
If all rides were free for Toronto residents as in no fares or passes what would it cost the taxpayers of Toronto to operate the TTC? Would a property tax boost of $500 annually cover it? 905 riders would continue to pay a sensible fare boarding or exiting the vehicle.
 
spider said:
Just for fun-
If all rides were free for Toronto residents as in no fares or passes what would it cost the taxpayers of Toronto to operate the TTC? Would a property tax boost of $500 annually cover it? 905 riders would continue to pay a sensible fare boarding or exiting the vehicle.
Click to expand...

What would be the cost, in time and money, of checking id/residency of people boarding the buses/streetcars/subways? Is it just people in the 905 that would pay or would occasional visitors from the 519 or 212 or, for that matter, anywhere in the world that we encourage to visit Toronto that would have to show id then pay?

In a city like Toronto it really needs to be all pay or all free.
 
TOareaFan said:
What would be the cost, in time and money, of checking id/residency of people boarding the buses/streetcars/subways? Is it just people in the 905 that would pay or would occasional visitors from the 519 or 212 or, for that matter, anywhere in the world that we encourage to visit Toronto that would have to show id then pay?

In a city like Toronto it really needs to be all pay or all free.
Click to expand...
I meant 905 riders and others pay if they board a bus or subway at a stop outside of Metro Toronto just as they do now. No ID check required, if a guy in Markham wants to walk a mile to board a TTC bus on the south side of Steeles he is not worth checking, we probably lose more fares on POP cheaters now and no one seems to care.
 
TOareaFan said:
What would be the cost, in time and money, of checking id/residency of people boarding the buses/streetcars/subways? Is it just people in the 905 that would pay or would occasional visitors from the 519 or 212 or, for that matter, anywhere in the world that we encourage to visit Toronto that would have to show id then pay?

In a city like Toronto it really needs to be all pay or all free.
Click to expand...

Well what could happen is you give every Toronto resident a Presto card, and include a section on the website for proof of Toronto residency. Once that's provided, any tap that occurs on the TTC is either free, or a reduced fare.
 
spider said:
Just for fun-
If all rides were free for Toronto residents as in no fares or passes what would it cost the taxpayers of Toronto to operate the TTC? Would a property tax boost of $500 annually cover it? 905 riders would continue to pay a sensible fare boarding or exiting the vehicle.
Click to expand...

Quick math.

1.5M riders per day x $2 average x 6 days per week (weekend day have half the ridership) x 52 weeks = $1B.

Toronto has about 3M population = 1M homes. $1B / 1M = $1000.
 
BurlOak said:
Quick math.

1.5M riders per day x $2 average x 6 days per week (weekend day have half the ridership) x 52 weeks = $1B.

Toronto has about 3M population = 1M homes. $1B / 1M = $1000.
Click to expand...
That assumes the laws of supply and demand have broken down, and the elimination of fares wouldn't increase demand.

I'd think the reality is that ridership would increase. If it doubled it would cost $2 billion, which would also require a huge expansion of the number of vehicles, garages, etc. So perhaps another $4 billion, assuming you don't need any more subway lines ...
 
BurlOak said:
Quick math.

1.5M riders per day x $2 average x 6 days per week (weekend day have half the ridership) x 52 weeks = $1B.

Toronto has about 3M population = 1M homes. $1B / 1M = $1000.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that industry and commercial properties within Toronto also pay a property tax. So that $1,000 extra would be divided even less. Do you know what the property tax is currently on the Eaton Centre, for example?
 
BurlOak said:
Quick math.

1.5M riders per day x $2 average x 6 days per week (weekend day have half the ridership) x 52 weeks = $1B.

Toronto has about 3M population = 1M homes. $1B / 1M = $1000.
Click to expand...

It seems to me that a $1B (TTC's stated total income from riders) addition to the City total property tax account would result in a rise of about 26% on it's current amount of $3.7B from all property taxpayers. That would be a $750 rise for my modest home annually.
 
Long Island Mike said:
SS: A split vote allowing RF's re-election should concern most Torontonians - that should be a number one thought as the October election draws closer...LI MIKE
Click to expand...

Very wise advice from NYC. For the first time possibly ever, the whole world will be watching (and possibly waiting to laugh at us).
 
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