(05-28-2021, 04:15 PM)tomh009 Wrote:

(05-28-2021, 02:52 PM)jeffster Wrote: I can't help to think that our "leaders" are pre-occupied with costs of the GRT, and they have changed some routes, reducing services, like Sunday service, earlier and later service, and cutting route length.

In general, municipal and regional governments are preoccupied with keeping property tax increases as small as possible. As a result, you can't increase spending much in any given area, unless you are going to cut somewhere else.

The way to solve this would be to rework the funding of municipal governments, but I don't see this as being very likely, at least not in the near to medium term.

(05-28-2021, 05:56 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:

(05-28-2021, 04:15 PM)tomh009 Wrote: In general, municipal and regional governments are preoccupied with keeping property tax increases as small as possible. As a result, you can't increase spending much in any given area, unless you are going to cut somewhere else.

The way to solve this would be to rework the funding of municipal governments, but I don't see this as being very likely, at least not in the near to medium term.

No, they really aren't. If they were pre-occupied with that they would be taking their engineering staff to task about the immense waste in our roads. They are only concerned about CERTAIN spending. And frankly, I'm furious about it.

(05-28-2021, 03:26 PM)jeffster Wrote:

(05-28-2021, 09:09 AM)tomh009 Wrote: Yes, you can ask people to bring in paperwork and have someone go through it and validate it. It will take time, for both the passenger and the staff, and it's no fun for the passenger and it costs money for the region.

Ideally, the GRT staff would scan in an ID card or enter a SIN, and the GRT system would make a request to the CRA system for the family income, and then determine the discount level. The staff member would never see any personal documents or income information, the system would just indicate that this person qualifies for a 40% discount, for example -- and that would automatically be tied to the person's pass or EasyGo card.

Here is the catch: The region is looking for "household income". Revenue Canada can only give "Family Income".

(05-28-2021, 06:03 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:

(05-28-2021, 03:26 PM)jeffster Wrote: Here is the catch: The region is looking for "household income". Revenue Canada can only give "Family Income".

Well, maybe the Region should be using the CRA’s definition. Who has put more thought into a fair way of assessing a person’s resources?

(05-28-2021, 04:44 PM)tomh009 Wrote: I don't think anyone is saying that $40K is rich. But it's above the cutoff, and if this is intended to support low-income families, there needs to be a cutoff somewhere. Same scenario would potentially apply whether the cutoff was $30K, $40K or $50K. And family/household income still does make more sense as a criterion than individual income. (They could have used the CRA definition but then the cutoff point might have needed to be lower in order to keep the expected costs same.)

Now, arguably a graduated reduction in discount would have been better, but that's a different argument.

In terms of dignity, an automated check would surely be better than having to show the GRT staff your pay stubs. At least in my opinion.

(05-28-2021, 06:18 PM)jeffster Wrote: But the *Region* is saying you're rich if you're a family of 4 earning 40K.

Quote:As for transit support, it SHOULD be based on the CRA's definition, not their stupid made up definition. Who's the idiot that put that together? Hell, even OW and ODSP separates families living in the same household. You're 18, you are your own family now.

And to be frank, if they are THAT concerned about cutting costs, they can go f-themselves and stop giving those on the Sunshine list a discount! Why do those folks deserve a discount? That makes zero sense. In this region: you're living in poverty, but hey, we think you're rich (You're richer than you think®.) Meanwhile, if you're on the Sunshine list, you poor (literally) bastard, here's your discount, enjoy. Ass. Backwards. That is what it is.

(09-09-2021, 10:16 AM)ac3r Wrote: It would be a great idea. I'd fly all over the country for some fun if I had a way to get to the airport.

(09-09-2021, 12:41 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:

(09-09-2021, 10:16 AM)ac3r Wrote: It would be a great idea. I'd fly all over the country for some fun if I had a way to get to the airport.

Sarcasm? I hope? If not, you know we have taxis right?

(09-09-2021, 02:02 PM)ac3r Wrote:

(09-09-2021, 12:41 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Sarcasm? I hope? If not, you know we have taxis right?

Why do you assume it's sarcasm? A taxi costs more than a bus. If there was a bus that could get me to the airport for the cost of a coffee and would let me take a cheap flight out to Halifax, I'm more inclined to travel for fun to waste a few days wandering the a city with no goal in mind.

I like to travel. Spontaneously and light. A bag and a few dollars in cash. In most countries, I need nothing more than a bag, a sleeping bag or few dollars if a hotel is necessary. This could let me hop on the GRT, get on a plane to somewhere in the country and then wander around for next to nothing. Taxis and hotels are frivolous in my mind, unless absolutely required. I'm more of a Vagrant Holiday kind of traveller: https://youtu.be/BVSJvfitmuQ