Time for the Monday Morning Quarterback—our weekly roundup of tax and spend news.

1. Great piece in the Tyee about why TransLink insists light rail here would cost three times more than in other cities. This TransLink inflated cost has perplexed transportation experts and politicians for years:

Lost so far in this conversation is an oddity. It appears that the assumed price for the light rail option is roughly three times higher than the actual costs incurred to construct similar systems in Europe and the U.S.

The cost per kilometre for the surface rail option also approaches the cost per kilometre for the recently completed Canada Line, a largely underground system. For a surface system to cost as much per kilometre as an underground system seems hard to fathom. Such a high cost for surface light rail seems even more inexplicable given the fact that the European systems navigate urban infrastructure which is much more complex to adjust for new light rail infrastructure -- all at a fraction of the cost per kilometre.

Absent a detailed explanation for this huge disparity, it would seem that a correspondingly low price tag should be realistic for the construction of a surface light rail system in Vancouver. Using figures from European examples allows us to speculate that a light rail system (exactly as pictured in consultation documents emanating from TransLink), could be built between the Commercial Drive station and UBC in the range of $360 million -- $740 million less than TransLink's estimate.

2. Another Tyee piece outlines how B.C. taxpayers are on the hook for $50,000 to get “positive media stories.” Corporate welfare never ceases.

3. Speaking of ads—here are the behind-the-scenes scripts for Premier Clark’s Canada Starts Here ad campaign. You paid for them—you might as well read them.

4. Metro Vancouver is looking to generate power at its local dams. “This is like free, green power,” chortled Mayor Darrell Mussatto of North Vancouver City. One problem: that “free” power will cost $95 to $130 million in capital costs, and generate $7.3 to $12.3 million annually. The two plants will take 10 to 35 years to build. This may not be a bad idea—but it certainly isn’t “free,” Your Worship.

5. The Vancouver Parks Board, in a desperate cash grab, wants to punish well-run community centres by taking their money and seizing control. If it ain’t broke, politicians, don’t try and fix it!