TransLink raises property taxes to fund 2009 budget

Glad I dont live in Vancouver....damn who gave Translink this business anyway?

I always wondered that too, but was too lazy to look it up. Who are these guys, anyway? Are they a private company? If so why do we need them? They're so incompetent, you might as well have the government managing things. Wouldn't there be something fundamentally wrong with a private company that's able to raise taxes? At least with a government you can express your displeasure with a vote.

They've got a sweet little deal going, our Translink. Unelected, they each get a $25,000 annual "retainer" and on top of that they get a cool $1200 every time they show up to a meeting. Even if they just phone in. They hold their meetings in secret. They replaced a previous board made of elected municipal representatives.

The Liberals in BC have ben in power so long they have a tin ear, and aren't listening (they actually said that this new unelected, secret board would be more "accountable"). Unfortunately, the NDP in this province is absolutely horrible and always have been, so they won't get power in the May election. But there's a groundswell of anger over this taxation without representation.