Transit fares likely to rise

[billonlogan]

A city council that supposed to be transit friendly and encourage ridership is slapping another increase on TTC users. What message are they sending out? We can't balance the books so you have to pay more for the ride. There are some tough decisions like service cutbacks on under utilized routes, wage concessions, naming rights on stations, to a name a few. The TTC cannot continue the trend of raising fares to balance the books. Where is the creativity?

 

[dob467]

I heard Moscoe say they've explored other options, but decided against them. In particular, he mentionned they were against scrapping the weekly passes. Does anyone know if the TTC has been successful with those weekly passes? I looked at purchasing them myself, particularly in months where I'd be travelling for a week, instead of buying a monthly pass. But when they cost $30, it hardly seems worth it. I'm then better off buying tickets. If they were, say, $25 I'd likely consider it. Anyone have any info as to whether they are being bought?

 

[billonlogan]

I found this tidbit from 4/11/2005 Toronto Star...

The mayor deserves a lot of credit for somehow managing to turn this thing."

"I'm glad it helped," Miller said of his phone call. "I'd asked to speak to (Kinnear) because I was concerned. We were so close, we needed a deal. It wouldn't have been acceptable for the talks to fall apart."

Ultimately, the TTC found a little extra — $6 million — to sweeten pensions and increase the total package to $166 million.​

So nice the TTC found a little extra $6 million. A 10-cent fare increase would net the TTC $9 million.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

billonlogan:

The TTC cannot continue the trend of raising fares to balance the books. Where is the creativity?

Let me suggest one - raising taxes in order to increase the subsidy to the TTC. Why not? Right now, TTC is receiving the lowest level of subsidy for all municipal transit systems in North America per capita.

AoD

 

[billonlogan]

Let me suggest one - raising taxes

AoD: I asked for creative ideas.

Right now, TTC is receiving the lowest level of subsidy for all municipal transit systems in North America per capita

This is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[doady]

Let me suggest one - raising taxes in order to increase the subsidy to the TTC. Why not? Right now, TTC is receiving the lowest level of subsidy for all municipal transit systems in North America per capita.

Is this really true? I know for sure that the Toronto actually much uses much more money per capita to subsidize transit operating costs than the 905 municipalities. It is the cost recovery ratio where the TTC is too high. TTC's cost recovery is around 80% but most systems in North America are around 50%.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

Unfortunately, Miller promised to keep residential tax increases to 3% and it seems that he is loathe to break that promise given the budget troubles the city has been going through this year.

Hopefully during the next election he will not promise to continue to the 3% limit so we can catch up to the 905 municipalities (which tax more heavily for the same assessed property value) and fund our programs properly...

 

[billonlogan]

Hopefully during the next election he will not promise to continue to the 3% limit so we can catch up to the 905 municipalities (which tax more heavily for the same assessed property value) and fund our programs properly

This statement can only come from someone who does'nt own property in this city.

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

I can see zone fares coming back within five years. Or different fare structures (i.e. $4.00 cash fare for the subway, etc.).

 

[Ed007Toronto]

This statement can only come from someone who does'nt own property in this city.

I own property in the city and I agree with his statement.

My condo fees go up every year and I'm glad they do. The condo fees protect the value of my investment. Why then would I want the space outside my main investment to be falling apart. Would a 5% increase versus 3% really hurt that much?

 

[BrianHawkins1]

billonlogan:

Believe it or not, there are people in this city who are willing to consider and even (gasp!) support policies which offer benefits beyond their own immediate personal financial interest.

 

[EnviroTO]

The first thing that needs to be done is to change property tax rates to be a rate applied to the value of a property rather than a fixed amount such that a 0% tax increase means the city can expect greater revenues due to property value increases. Currently a 0% increase actually means close to no increase which is unrealistic when nobody is accepting zero raises and property values are not remaining constant. The political pressure on councillors at budget time is so much more than MPPs and MPs are subjected to since any economic growth or increase in payroll or retail prices is automatically handled by fixed tax rates. In the city the property taxation system makes councillors look worse than they really might be because they always have to look for more. I don't doubt that there are ways to find efficiency and save money in the city and avoid a transit fare increase. The city can't choose to be a city dependant on transit with no road widenings and new freeways and then starve the TTC every year. That is just dumb. That plays into the car lobbyist hands as road gridlock builds and transit runs over capacity and perhaps declines in ridership.

I'm thinking of changing my vote this year. Miller's "Superman to the TWRC rescue" display and inability to properly fund the TTC is really making me reconsider.

 

[billonlogan]

“I welcome the premier to ride in on his white horse and save us,†said TTC chairman Howard Moscoe, who apologized to riders after saying the budget committee had pushed for the increases.

Moscoe insisted that he wasn’t prepared to make cuts to marginal routes.

Moscoe is way over his head on this one, he should do the honourable thing and resign his post as Commissioner. He failed miserable last year during union negotiations leaving Miller no room but to capitulate to the union to stop a transit strike. He has raised fares 2 years in a row, fumbled the St.Clair ROW, I can go on. If he does'nt step down the mayor should fire him pronto. TTC riders deserve better than this motley crew.

 

[EnviroTO]

TTC riders deserve better than this motley crew.

I agree. The whole city council is a let down really. Every year it is the same old thing. The city recently received money from upper governments for the purpose of transit yet they are still pretending they can't avoid the fare increase. Bull. The city gave the TTC $211M last year and this year the city has a $48M cheque from the federal government and a $120M cheque from the province. They have $168M in new money yet can't afford the $52M the TTC requires? With more money in their hands the city should be able to afford more. Even if most of the money went entirely to capital expenses... that should have freed up money that the city would have had to pay for. The city council needs to admit they are all talk when it comes to the TTC... they are using the TTC which Torontonians value as a scapegoat to lure more funding from the province and federal government and fare increases at the easy way out to avoid tax increases.

 

[billonlogan]

Ed007Toronto:

My condo fees go up every year and I'm glad they do

But if you're condo board was mismanaging corporation finances and not getting best value for your dollar, would you still be glad?