TransLink to raise fuel taxes (September 21, 2001)
VICTORIA, B.C. — B.C. Trucking Association (BCTA) president, Paul Landry, is left scratching his head after the B.C. Liberals gave TransLink the green light to hike fuel taxes yesterday.
“Mr. Campbell indicated late last year in the heat of the debate on the levy that there would be no new taxes and no increase in taxes unless there was a province-wide referendum,” Landry tells local media.
But government officials say there is no time for a referendum, as a decision was required immediately. TransLink will hike fuel taxes in an effort to eliminate their $50 million annual shortfall in long-term funding.
Another option considered by TransLink was taking back the millions of dollars it sinks into area roads and shifting road maintenance costs back to the municipalities. TransLink has struggled to find new ways of generating revenue after a proposed vehicle levy was killed under the former government.
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