Dear Editor
I was shocked to read in the article the quote of TransLink’s CEO Doug Allen where he claims that “the plebiscite results were about voters rejecting a tax increase, not about the public perception of TransLink. I know some of you will say this is about TransLink. No it was not.” If this quote is correct, it proves that the TransLink board is completely out of touch with reality and the public sentiment against TransLink in general. I am a strata property manager and Realtor. In my professional work I have conversations with hundreds of individuals every year. The No. 1 hot topic this year has been the plebiscite. The opinions expressed to me about the plebiscite were that people were overwhelmingly voting No. The No. 1 reason for voting No was that TransLink wastes so much money that people do not want to give an extra nickel to that wasteful organization. The No vote was most definitely a vote of non-confidence in TransLink management. Everybody I spoke to about the issue is in favour of improvements to transit in the Lower Mainland. But the management of mass transit in the Lower Mainland has been outrageously incompetent.
Yes, people do not want more taxes. But the reason that they stated to me is that the money TransLink was seeking could be found by TransLink reducing waste and improving efficiencies in their existing budget. Reductions in waste and improvements in efficiency would provide sufficient funds to meet their stated targets. I have heard the same argument from individuals of all political stripes.
Adrian Lipsey, Burnaby
