BC in the red

[Gwynn]

No RAV Line:
Had they run it all the way to the airport, I might support it more. Richmond did need a rapid transit solution, but it was more of an after thought to the RAV line.

Huh? The airport station is beside the short term parking, it couldn't be closer to the airport without being inside the terminal building itself.

In the end, I can't see why anyone would expect any government to be running without a deficit during a recession. That's generally how governments are run, and IMO how they should be run. Pay down debts during financial boom times and borrow when the economy is slow. Unless you would rather services and/or tax rates fluctuate wildly according to how well the economy is running.

 

[CJ Tylers]

IS it? I thought it was just off to the right of the arthur lang, almost before the bypass that heads into richmond center. If it goes in further (ie, right at the temporary parking/parkade near the airport doors, then that's better.

Of course, if it actually went right into the airport building (as other major cities have done with their rapid transport), it would be still more useful.

I still doubt that the RAV will see as much commuter use as a new evergreen or KG expansion would.

 

[Arrrg]

It's pretty much into the airport. get off the station, go down the stairs/escalator walk across the ramp and in the airport arrivals area you go. Most other airports that have public train transit going actually inside the airport actually requires you to do more walking than that! We've got it pretty good distance wise.

 

[InTheBum]

Just saw on the news that now the deficit may run up to $1.5 b. The finance minister claims the number for the budget comes from the federal minister and they don't 'massage' the number and just present was is given to them.

Congrats on those who voted Liberal.

GOOD! The BC economy is a complete joke in general. If it wasn't for Asians deciding they like Vancouver...this city would have had no previous Construction BOOM and be considered a little backwater shithole!

You people are fooling yourselves if you think BC has a Strong Economy!!!

 

[ReluctantPooner]

CJ Tylers, you are pretty ignorant. The Liberals have had us in the black for their entire first 2 terms. We are in the red now because of the huge economic crash that has hit the whole planet. It doesn't matter who was in power - we were going into a deficit.

As for the skytrain, it splits up at airport station with one branch going down #3 road and the other going right to the airport. Yeah it doesn't go right inside but it's right by the front doors I've seen it with my own eyes. I won't disagree with the need for the Evergreen Line (which they are starting in the next couple of years) but I do disagree about the RAV line. We definately do need it. It will take traffic off of the Granville corridor and the Arthur Laing bottleneck. But more importantly it will service the No 3 rd area, Oakridge area, Langara College, City Hall/ Brodadway and Cambie area, Yaletown, etc. It will give serice to all the people and businseses in those areas.
I think what it really comes down to is that it will service the future needs of those areas. With the skytrain there those areas will be developed much faster. For example, around 41st and Cambie in the next few years I wold expect to see those smaller 1 and 2 story buildings replace with AT LEAST 4 story retail/residential buildings. Look at what has happened along the original skytrain line at Metrotown, Joyce, etc.

 

[Shakerod]

CJ Tylers, you are pretty ignorant. The Liberals have had us in the black for their entire first 2 terms. We are in the red now because of the huge economic crash that has hit the whole planet. It doesn't matter who was in power - we were going into a deficit.

As for the skytrain, it splits up at airport station with one branch going down #3 road and the other going right to the airport. Yeah it doesn't go right inside but it's right by the front doors I've seen it with my own eyes. I won't disagree with the need for the Evergreen Line (which they are starting in the next couple of years) but I do disagree about the RAV line. We definately do need it. It will take traffic off of the Granville corridor and the Arthur Laing bottleneck. But more importantly it will service the No 3 rd area, Oakridge area, Langara College, City Hall/ Brodadway and Cambie area, Yaletown, etc. It will give serice to all the people and businseses in those areas.
I think what it really comes down to is that it will service the future needs of those areas. With the skytrain there those areas will be developed much faster. For example, around 41st and Cambie in the next few years I wold expect to see those smaller 1 and 2 story buildings replace with AT LEAST 4 story retail/residential buildings. Look at what has happened along the original skytrain line at Metrotown, Joyce, etc.

What it comes down to is that the Liberals care more about the people leaving and arriving in Vancouver then they do about the every day working folks that live here. The East/West corridor, in particular the no.1 freeway and Lougheed highway should have been a priority before the Airport, but I will give the Liberals credit for at least having a long-term plan, which is something we haven't seen since the Socreds of the 60's.

 

[CJ Tylers]

Actually, I am not ignorant in the least bit.

I am, however, very jaded.

It is my view that since mr. cambell was keen to take credit for BC doing well in a bull market with a housing boom... when a retarded monkey could've managed the provincial econmy and had very much the same result...then he can bloody well take the blame for the current economic conditions.

Come to think of it, he is more to blame than you think. His free wheeling attitude in the good years meant that precious little was put aside for a rainy day. Now that rainy day has come and BC has no cushion.

We are hurting from that... only federal bail out money for the olympics is really driving whatever we have going on now... and he's always trying to go back for more.

Now, it's true that most other BC politicians would've acted in the same fashion.. that's because most of our BC politicians are a complete joke and care more about looking good for re election (and patronage) rather than actually trying to ensure that the province runs well and has a strong contingency fund.

Also, it seems that the rosy figures the then finance minister was touting came into question... some massaging of the budget numbers may've occured. No doubt we were in the black, but not by as much as they claimed. (and I repeat, a goddam drunken lemur could've done as well as them at the time).



A good government tries to maintain or improve the current situation as best they can, they must look to the future and attempt new developements. What they all seem to fail at is planning for possible trouble. Cambell was on a roller coaster ride, and he couldn't see the other side of the hill.

The difference between him and a good politician, is that a good politician knows that eventually you'll hit the other side and go down.

Of course, planning for something that could happen when your opponent is in power rarely seems to benefit a politican in the here and now... short sighted morons don't understand what public service really means... it's supposed to be that you go beyond your own personal interests and act in the best interest of the public...the province...the country.

Yes, we would be in the red (possibly) with any party in power. How much and how quickly is the real difference. Especially if we had some people that actually knew how to govern properly...


And as for the RAV line, the question wasn't one of need. It was more of what was needed more. It is my opinion that the KG expansion and the Evergreen line was needed more than the RAV line...

[/end rant]

 

[ReluctantPooner]

CJ, I won't argue that the Evergreen line is needed MORE. I think all levels of governement should be putting more money towards transportation expansion.

Your other comment that irked me, that I forgot to comment on when I got on my skytrain rant, was the one about the convention centre. Sprucing up the old one would not be good enough. One of the big problems was that it simply wasn't big enough. We were getting to the point where we would lose convention business to other cities. The old one will still be used, its just now we can have more and/or bigger conventions.

Of course, with what has gone on with the economy in the last year, we might have to wait a couple of years for that.

 

[hunsperger]

...

GOOD! The BC economy is a complete joke in general. If it wasn't for Asians deciding they like Vancouver...this city would have had no previous Construction BOOM and be considered a little backwater shithole!

You people are fooling yourselves if you think BC has a Strong Economy!!!

agreed...

but if you ask smug Vancouverites, we are one of the most beautiful shitholes in th world ...

mark my words, the 2010 Olympics will go down as one of the biggest financial boondoggles in history...

 

[Gwynn]

What it comes down to is that the Liberals care more about the people leaving and arriving in Vancouver then they do about the every day working folks that live here. The East/West corridor, in particular the no.1 freeway and Lougheed highway should have been a priority before the Airport, but I will give the Liberals credit for at least having a long-term plan, which is something we haven't seen since the Socreds of the 60's.

I think the Olympics really tied the Liberals' hands in terms of which projects had to go ahead first. Widening the No 1 and building the South Fraser Perimeter Road would have come before Sea to Sky improvements, and possibly the Evergreen line before the Richmond line as well, were it not for the Olympics.

It is good to see that someone has a longterm plan and is willing to push it through. Construction is starting now on the No 1 and preloading has started for some of the South Fraser Perimeter Road interchanges. As I understand it, the Evergreen Line is not far behind.

 

[Shakerod]

I think the Olympics really tied the Liberals' hands in terms of which projects had to go ahead first. Widening the No 1 and building the South Fraser Perimeter Road would have come before Sea to Sky improvements, and possibly the Evergreen line before the Richmond line as well, were it not for the Olympics.

It is good to see that someone has a longterm plan and is willing to push it through. Construction is starting now on the No 1 and preloading has started for some of the South Fraser Perimeter Road interchanges. As I understand it, the Evergreen Line is not far behind.

I agree, getting the money from the federal government for those projects made their decision a no brainer. I am actually more critical of the federal government then I am of the provincial government because of the enormous amount of gas tax that we have paid over the last half century, which was suppose to be allocated for highway and freeway infrastructure, and since the Trans Canada highway is a federal responsibility.

 

[greatshark]

CJ Tylers, you make a lot of sense.

 

[niteowl]

There are other events that Vancouver or the rest of Canada can host without having to break the piggybank. And I'm just throwing these out.

Commonwealth Games?
X Games?
Canada is hosting 6 World Jr Hockey Championships within 12 years.
Hosting swimming and diving competitions?

 

[niteowl]

How much did it cost to host the World Police and Fire Games? I'm quite certain it wasn't $1.6b.
Obviously the IOC didn't do any research on Whistler during the winter. Didn't Whistler used to host a World Cup Downhill even in Jan but was pull off the list of stops because to too many warm conditions. January. And when is the Olympics?

I still like Campbell's double talk.