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| Subject: Up to $51 million needed for 2004---Toronto | |
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Author: Nov. 16, 2003. 08:19 AM |
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Date Posted: Tuesday, November 18, 05:47:18am Nov. 16, 2003. 08:19 AM Featured Advertisers Transit riders face 25-cent hike in fares Miller calls on province for help Up to $51 million needed for 2004 BILL TAYLOR STAFF REPORTER Toronto is facing an unwelcome and expensive New Year's gift from the TTC, and mayor-elect David Miller says he may not be able to head it off. Bus, streetcar and subway fares could be hiked on Jan. 1 by as much as 25 cents if the Toronto Transit Commission's operating subsidy is not increased by between $40 million and $51 million, according to its draft budget for 2004. "I'm hopeful that we can at least minimize a fare hike, but I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic," Miller said yesterday. "A fare freeze is dependent on provincial action. "I don't like fare hikes. They're a regressive tax and they push riders away. But I think everyone recognizes the impossible position the TTC is in." One of his first priorities after he is sworn in Dec. 2 will be to sit down with Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty and thrash out the problem. "I was aware of the pressure on the budget and transit funding will obviously be on the agenda," said Miller, who is also a TTC commissioner. "Mr. McGuinty is a supporter of public transit. ... I hope we'll be able to work with the province to alleviate the situation." But Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar said there's "no concrete plan" and there won't be one until he has reviewed the TTC's budget. "I think we want to treat all our stakeholders fairly and we still want to stay within fiscal responsibility," he said. The TTC has already received $182 million from the city this year and increased the price of bulk tokens last Jan. 1, with 10 costing $19 rather than $18. The budget document says without the additional subsidy, fare increases could be held to between 15 and 20 cents — but only if unspecified service cuts are made by next September. A lower subsidy could mean a fare increase of a dime. Miller said the TTC has been under "unbelievable pressure" since 1998, when the Tory government of then-premier Mike Harris eliminated a transit-funding formula put in place by Bill Davis when he was premier "almost 30 years ago. It matched the operating subsidy and funded 75 per cent of capital programs. We really need to have that back." The threatened fare increase follows optimism expressed recently by Rick Ducharme, the TTC's chief general manager, who said with Miller as mayor, McGuinty as premier and new federal Liberal Leader Paul Martin soon to become prime minister, "right now transit is in the best position in Toronto it's ever been." David Caplan, provincial minister of public infrastructure renewal, has reaffirmed his government's pledge to devote 2 cents a litre of the gasoline tax to public transit, doubling the subsidy within three years. This could give Toronto as much as $185 million. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |