Mayor John Tory is proposing a significant tax hike in order to fund billions of dollars in investments in transit and housing, a move that he says is necessary to ensure the city continues to prosper and doesn’t begin to “strangle itself” amid continued growth.The cost of supporting the auto and sprawl system has never been sustainable. When oil was cheaper, this massive growth project was built on energy-subsidy and debt. Now the bill is due. There is only one solution -- unwind the system. Start by making buses fare-free. (Fare-free means no fare, just like fat-free or sugar-free).
When buses are fare-free (zero-fare), more will ride. The savings will begin immediately. A 1% increase in ridership in a city of 1 million would save citizens $5 million a year in petrol alone! Other costs could be cut. For example, how much is your city spending on parking - including parking enforcement? See this blog on how fossil fuel, autos, and sprawl are subsidized.
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