Two of B.C.’s least popular government spending projects are suddenly colliding: Lower Mainland mayors like Gregor Robertson and Dianne Watts want to use an increased carbon tax to pay for TransLink.

First, no one should be talking about another nickel for TransLink until the provincial review comes back later this fall. How do you know what kind of funding gap you’re trying to fill when you don’t have a clue of what kind of inefficiencies have developed within an organization? TransLink’s true shortfall could be 0, $30 million, or $300 million. Who knows? Better to wait and get as full a picture as possible.

When Transit Commissioner Martin Crilly looked for efficiencies, he found $71 million in short term savings and another $66 million in ongoing savings—without breaking a sweat, or digging into every part of the organization.

TransLink spends $1.3 billion a year. Why the rush to give them more money when evidence shows they haven’t managed that sum effectively?

Second, don’t let the mayors sugar coat it: using carbon tax revenue for TransLink is a tax hike, plain and simple. They want the carbon tax to increase, with revenues generated going to transit, not to the tax credits which make it revenue neutral. That means government taking more money out of your pockets—a tax increase.

For more on this faulty line of thinking, click here.