WislaHD
Superstar
We really don't need to build a Sheppard subway. That money should be prioritized into the DRL, Eglinton West extension and a replacement for the Gardiner.
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Dan416
Senior Member
I can see the SELRT getting cancelled. I do not see them replacing it with a Sheppard subway though. Sheppard, whether LRT or subway, is just not a priority now
denfromoakvillemilton
Senior Member
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Eglinton can be switched but there is littlen political will for the delay. Plus there will be a push the finish Eglinton West. The only way I see Eglinton becoming a full subway is if Eglinton west is Built with it. If there has to be another delay should be worth it
That's what I think will happen too. I think Hudak will build sheppard, that's a harris problem and he can't have that mark on his admin otherwise the Liberals will just take power again in 2021 or whatever.
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Palma
Senior Member
You mean like put in power plants and when about $1B spent, then its cancelled? Is this what stand by their decisions mean?
Palma
Senior Member
If they did not put the subway in the central portion of Eglinton, why on earth would they put in a subway west of Keele St where all I keep reading is there is less demand?
salsa
Senior Member
To be fair, they stand by their decision to not stand by the decision that they originally decided. Confusing? Yes I know, too much flip flopping.
Dan416
Senior Member
I think the point is that they make the right decision in the end, even if it takes them a lot of time and money to reach the right decision.
Palma
Senior Member
Thats ridiculous.
denfromoakvillemilton
Senior Member
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I just mean they will have to complete the whole line and not just what they are building now if they plan to switch tech. But I don't think it will happen. I think Eglinton West will be busier then some imagine here.
SJD_Toronto
Active Member
Josh Matlow speaking about going back to the LRT plan and being grilled by reporters about revenue tools.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM4dXYMIBww
The guy is starting to look pretty foolish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM4dXYMIBww
The guy is starting to look pretty foolish.
rbt
Senior Member
He's not wrong; despite looking poor in this interview.
If Scarborough extension goes through Toronto has enough money in the immediate future to either 1) maintain the Yonge/Bloor subway lines (non-funded SOGR work), or 2) rebuild Gardiner. We can't do both at today's tax rate and maintain our AA rating.
The federal funding which could have been used for those 2 projects was also redirected to Scarborough. It is from a general purpose infrastructure fund; so Toronto needs to back-fill the $500M gap created by that in additional to a direct $1B contribution and a promise to pay any project cost increases.
Ford only taxed for the $1B, leaving $500M and cost overruns unfunded.
The last time we opted to pursue expansion (Downsview/Sheppard) instead of funding maintenance, riders died and we had a ton of patch-work rebuilding to do.
We're relying on a $1.5B gift from the province in our near-term future while at the same time our mayor and council are arguing against Metrolinx transit taxes which might give us that gift.
This is one of the least business like councils I've seen in a long time. The backlog for maintenance has increased across the board. I'm almost certain Ford's company doesn't skimp on printing press maintenance because when those stop they go out of business; Toronto infrastructure maintenance is similar. #1 rule of big business is to ensure you can continue doing business in the future (it's defensive; protect assets, resources, equipment, and customer base). Governments require a similar strategy to prosper over hundreds of years; growth will happen by default provided you don't cheap out on necessary components.
All that said, I'd like to see council bump property taxes by an additional 5% to 10% to cover the true cost of their promises (including the subway extension) rather than backing out at a later date.
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innsertnamehere
Superstar
How about we do both? An article in the Star today noted that Toronto had by far the lowest Property tax rates in the GTHA. I say we return to large annual tax hikes (5-6%) and use that extra money to rebuild and expand our infrastructure.
Metrolinx will be giving the city a couple hundred million a year for SOGR and other smaller capital expansions with the transit taxes as well. $500 million annually will be spent on non-big move projects and general transit support, and if Toronto gets even $100 million annually of that we can essentially get a new union station second platform every 2 years. The capital funding the TTC will get from that fund will be very useful for them.
Metrolinx will be giving the city a couple hundred million a year for SOGR and other smaller capital expansions with the transit taxes as well. $500 million annually will be spent on non-big move projects and general transit support, and if Toronto gets even $100 million annually of that we can essentially get a new union station second platform every 2 years. The capital funding the TTC will get from that fund will be very useful for them.
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salsa
Senior Member
Unfortunately our next mayor will be accused by the right wing of "going back to the old tax and spend days", even though there are no other good options. Ford will be wrongfully vindicated as the saviour of taxpayer dollars.
I think something like 1% over 4 years would ease the burden a little bit. That money should be directed into a dedicated transit fund, with the implicit understanding that it be used only for transit infrastructure.
