QUOTED: David Soknacki, on funding for new subways in Toronto
“I’m also not afraid to talk about taxes, because transit is not free.”
—Earlier this morning, former city councillor David Soknacki became the second mayoral candidate to articulate something resembling a plan to pay for the ever-popular Downtown Relief Line. During an interview on CBC’s Metro Morning, he said that he would consider various transit-dedicated taxes, including hikes to income tax, HST, sales tax and property tax. In a political environment dominated by respect-the-taxpayers rhetoric, this qualifies as a bold move.
John Tory and Rob Ford, both of whom have also promised to prioritize the Relief Line, haven’t yet said how they’d raise the multiple billions of dollars needed to build it. Yesterday, Karen Stintz announced that she’d fund a small portion of the cost by selling part of Toronto Hydro, the city-owned electricity provider.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/quoted-david-soknacki-on-subway-taxes/&title=QUOTED: David Soknacki, on funding for new subways in Toronto&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/david-soknacki-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_253556" align="alignnone" width="656"] (Image: Soknacki.com)[/caption]
"I'm also not afraid to talk about taxes, because transit is not free."
—Earlier this morning, former city councillor David Soknacki became the second mayoral candidate to articulate something resembling a plan to pay for the ever-popular Downtown Relief Line. During an interview on CBC's Metro Morning, he said that he would consider various transit-dedicated taxes, including hikes to income tax, HST, sales tax and property tax. In a political environment dominated by respect-the-taxpayers rhetoric, this qualifies as a bold move.
John Tory and Rob Ford, both of whom have also promised to prioritize the Relief Line, haven't yet said how they'd raise the multiple billions of dollars needed to build it. Yesterday, Karen Stintz announced that she'd fund a small portion of the cost by selling part of Toronto Hydro, the city-owned electricity provider.){kind=link}
I am glad someone is talking about this like a mature adult. Are Torontonians truly that ignorant and childish to want an expensive thing without wanting to pay for it? Did they think a subway fairy will fly in and wave her wand? Rob Ford already lied through his teeth about 100% private sector funding before getting public money and property tax increase to pay for it while claiming credit for victory. Even Olivia is cautious about the Downtown Relief Line until there is a viable financing plan. We as voters need to stop acting like a toddler in Toys R Us wanting a pricey toy but not thinking who pays for it and how.