TransLink, the chronic money-wasting Greater Vancouver transit behemoth, released its 2011 salary report yesterday. And it’s another slap in the face of taxpayers and transit users.

While TransLink copes with a $30 million deficit—despite hiking our gas taxes two cents from 15 to 17 cents per litre, despite raising transit fares, despite raising Golden Ears Bridge tolls, and despite raising property taxes—their salaries grew by 21 per cent. In one year.

In 2010, an Olympic year where we were assured overtime costs were higher than normal due to everyone running flat-out in February, TransLink reported $40.5 million in salaries. This year, that amount was $48.9 million. Employee expense claims also rose, from $825,000 in 2010 to $1.07 million in 2011.

CEO Ian Jarvis made $352,242 in 2010. He made $382,954 this year—a year where TransLink raised every tax and still lost money! Was that really worth of an 8.75 per cent salary bump?

Transit Police, the glorified ticket checkers (the average transit cop works less than 10 serious and property crimes files a YEAR), continued with their insane salaries. In 2011, 59 of 169 constables earned more than $100,000. All 169 were over $75,000.

The provincial audit cannot come soon enough.