Bob Mackin hears from sources that Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Clark and the TransLink Mayors will have some sort of announcement tomorrow at the Burnaby SkyTrain operations centre. My money is on a phase 1 funding announcement – some new buses, some new SkyTrain cars, and a new SeaBus over the next three years.

Unless a new regional funding formula is announced simultaneously, this will simply be a reannouncement of what we already know: the feds are putting in $370 million, the province $246 million, and the region $124 million (somehow). We heard this in May – the only thing new would be if Fassbender and the TransLink Mayors have cut a deal on how the region comes up with their 17% share.

So if there is an announcement tomorrow, what should the media, on behalf of taxpayers, ask the politicians? Some suggestions: 

• SNC-Lavalin and the province are in mediation over cost overruns on the Evergreen Line. Are taxpayers on the hook for that too?
• TransLink continues to use five-year-old cost estimates for the Arbutus subway and Surrey light rail projects. How can priorities and promises be made with such out-of-date pricing?
• Road pricing (if it’s part of the funding formula) was part of the TransLink mayors’ funding plan that was rejected in the plebiscite. What social licence do you have to bring it in now? When will the public get to vote on this new tax?
• Why have all regional tax hike discussions been happening behind closed doors? Don't the public have a right to weigh in? 
• The TransLink Mayors could fund all phases of their multi-billion dollar plan by allocating 0.3% of their 5% annual revenue growth rate to it. It would mean reprioritizing a fraction of future municipal spending. Why do they refuse to prioritize transit?
• Other than land sales, what specific efficiencies have been found at TransLink to help fund the regional share of this plan? How much does this come to?
• What will be the impact on the provincial debt, as this money is not in the BC budget? Or is there another source contemplated?
• If a new regional transit development cost charge is added to new home building, how does that square with the province’s desire to increase housing supply and their constant criticism of municipal gouging of homebuilders?
• IF NO REGIONAL FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE? The question is simple: "What the heck is the point of this photo-op? We knew this already."