Will transit referendum produce more funding?
Posted December 14, 2013 4:14 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Now that the government is proposing having a referendum on transit funding during next year’s municipal elections, people are weighing in on whether a ‘Yes’ outcome is possible.
Retired political scientist Norman Ruff is optimistic TransLink will get the red light to more funding. He looks south for positive examples.
“Seattle, San Francisco and LA had transit-oriented referendums and they passed. But they had considerable lead time. They introduced the referendum question several months before the referendum,” he stresses, also pointing out in those cases, the questions were crystal clear.
Ruff even believes the referendum could have an impact on typically low municipal-election voter turnout.
“I think transit is an issue that will capture people’s attention. It could increase the turnout.”
That sentiment isn’t universally shared.
Political science professor John Redekop says posing complex funding-related questions to the public is a recipe for failure, thanks to this region’s competing priorities.
“We need three billion for an extension for the Millennium Line, two billion for light rapid transit in Surrey. Why would someone, besides people living in Vancouver and Surrey, vote for these projects? It’s going to be very hard to sell and I predict a massive rejection.”
He says political leaders, not the general public, should tackle such difficult and complex issues.
“The notion that people will educate themselves and make the right decision is misguided. Most people won’t do the research and second of all, there is no right answer.”
Plus, he says offering a multiple choice question, as the premier has suggested, is a mistake.
