muller877
Senior Member
Not sure how redirecting TTC funding to give a tax credit would improve congestion, since they'd have to cut service levels to make up for the loss of subsidy. I also don't see how a municipal tax credit would help either given that most low-income torontonians don't own property.
In general, I think creating separate passes for low-income people is a bad idea for several reasons.
1. We should be lowering the price of all transit fares rather than some users. I mean, in general, it's sad that our operating subsidy is so low that people can't even afford *bus passes*.
2. The city isn't in much of a position to perform means-testing. It is much more efficient for the province to deal with social assistance issues like this, rather than introduce bureaucracy.
3. This program is rife with potential for abuse.
4. If there is any physical difference in passes it serves to distinguish and shame poverty.
5. It would increase the fares for other classes of users who may also struggle with the costs of transit (e.g. students).
Add a 6th reason. The wealthy can afford to drive/park in Toronto. You actually have to give a LARGER incentive for the wealthier to take transit than the poor (the only reason they take it other than price is for convenience...and transit is rarely quicker than driving). Simple cost-benefit.
If the purpose of this subsidy is to convince drivers to take transit, the wealthy should get a HIGHER subsidy (i.e. cheaper fares) than the low-income earners.
Of course if this proposal is just a thinly veiled attempt at income distribution, than by all means give the low-income earners a higher incentive. But it will mean more people driving and less people taking transit.
This proposal also fails to identify where low-income and the wealthy work. The wealthy normally work near transit nodes (i.e. business district near the subway) wheras low-income quite often work away from transit (industrial zones). Of course there are cases where it is the opposite so just speaking in generalities.
If a low-income earner works/live near transit they more than likely do not own a car and the transit pass is already far cheaper than owning a car. If they do not live and work near transit (or have a job where the need a car) price is quite often not the deciding factor.
Now, if they are talking about low-income earners who do not have a job (i.e. welfare, disability, etc) than that is a seperate question altogether.