VICTORIA: The BC division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today launched a campaign to axe the new $75 auto tax which TransLink, the local government entity responsible for transit and roads within greater Vancouver, plans to impose this fall. The CTF is instead recommending road and transit improvements be funded out of existing federal, provincial and municipal taxes.

"Taxpayers should tell Ottawa, the Province, and the cities to find the tax money in their existing budgets and to axe the auto tax," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke. "Vancouver-area residents already face some of the highest gas taxes in the country - thanks in part to an extra 4 cents per litre GVRD tax already in place. They also face an annual AirCare expense and most face property tax increases this year. Taxpayers can bet that any new auto tax will certainly be hiked significantly again and again," argued Milke. "Moreover, if they get away with this, watch for parking taxes at suburban malls."

The CTF's campaign - Axe The Auto Tax - will be posted on the CTF website at www.taxpayer.com by noon today, and will include:

The Axe The Auto Tax fact sheet: Facts on why taxpayers should revolt against the new auto tax.

Contact numbers and e-mail addresses of TransLink's board of directors including provincial MLAs.

Contact numbers and the e-mail address of BC Transportation Minister Harry Lali.

Contact numbers and e-mail addresses of federal Liberal MPs from BC.

An Axe The Auto Tax petition, directed to George Puil, chair of Translink. Petitioners will be encouraged to send the petition to the CTF, which will be delivered to Mr. Puil.

"The federal government collects $4.7 billion in gas tax every year and returns only 4.1% of that to roads. Taxpayers should tell federal Liberal MPs from BC to cough up gas taxes or tax room for Vancouver roads," said Milke, who noted that the BC government tossed Vancouver-area roads to Translink without handing over enough tax revenue or room. "It's an attempt to force someone else - TransLink - to hike taxes and run deficits. Taxpayers should tell MLAs to transfer either more gas tax revenue or room to TransLink."

Milke argued that taxpayers should also pressure their local councillors to start playing hardball with senior levels of government. "Federal and provincial elections will happen within one year. It's the perfect time for taxpayers and local politicians to tell MPs and MLAs better roads must be built out of existing - not new - taxes."