[andyt]

Don't those TO types pay taxes in cottage country on their cottages, same as the full time residents? In fact since they pay taxes all year, but only use cottage country services for a small fraction of that, they are again subsidizing the locals. I can certainly understand the locals resenting the inflood of people, except of course that that they would have to pay higher taxes if not.

Vancouver is making it more and more difficult/expensive for cars downtown, to the great whining of all the SUV commuters. But really Vancouver has no choice, as there is no more room to be had, and traffic already sucks. Drivers like to complain about cyclists like me getting new bike lanes built for us, but they don't seem to realize if I'm on my bike, that means I'm not in my car adding to the congestion.

If cottage country people really want to stop the influx of city types, maybe they could do some sort of reverse Vancouver thing to make it less convenient for the city folk.

[BartSimpson]

andyt andyt:

Don't those TO types pay taxes in cottage country on their cottages, same as the full time residents? In fact since they pay taxes all year, but only use cottage country services for a small fraction of that, they are again subsidizing the locals. I can certainly understand the locals resenting the inflood of people, except of course that that they would have to pay higher taxes if not.

Vancouver is making it more and more difficult/expensive for cars downtown, to the great whining of all the SUV commuters. But really Vancouver has no choice, as there is no more room to be had, and traffic already sucks. Drivers like to complain about cyclists like me getting new bike lanes built for us, but they don't seem to realize if I'm on my bike, that means I'm not in my car adding to the congestion.

If cottage country people really want to stop the influx of city types, maybe they could do some sort of reverse Vancouver thing to make it less convenient for the city folk.

Toronto, Edmonton, and Vancouver's problems can be resolved the same way Detroit's once-notorious traffic jams were resolved: factories closed and businesses left for better locations. Now the city is a virtual ghost town.

Don't prattle on about how people don't care to live in your city, make your city more appealing for people to live there. But see, part of the problem here are city leaders who want tax revenue from office space at the expense of residential construction. Make your leaders build housing in the downtown - like San Francisco and Sacramento are doing - and you'll see a revival of the city core. Oh, that also has to be coupled with more aggressive policing of urban crimes typically committed by unassimilated minorities....something liberals are oft loathe to do.

[EyeBrock]

Maybe we could all just try and live together?

In Ontario we pay enough taxes as it is. Miller milked Toronto a little more than the other GTA mayors with his vehicle tax and extra stamp-duty but that isn't the rest of Ontario's fault.

I find this 'us and them' attitude from people purporting to have a social conscience quite hypocritical.

Maybe Baird was right about the social elites of Toronto. It certainly seems that at least two city dwellers think everybody else is a leech on their cities and doesn’t deserve the right to visit the metropolis.

You should think about having border check points on the Gardner Expressway stopping the leeches getting in?

Wow.

[G-prime]

i call shenanigans. does anyone know anyone that voted for him?

[andyt]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

Don't prattle on about how people don't care to live in your city, make your city more appealing for people to live there. But see, part of the problem here are city leaders who want tax revenue from office space at the expense of residential construction. Make your leaders build housing in the downtown - like San Francisco and Sacramento are doing - and you'll see a revival of the city core. Oh, that also has to be coupled with more aggressive policing of urban crimes typically committed by unassimilated minorities....something liberals are oft loathe to do.

Nobody prattles on about how nobody wants to live in Vancouver - everybody does it if they can afford it. Vancouver's west end is one of the most densely populated square miles in North America - lots of residences being built downtown. The worry here is actually that we're not providing enough space for business to support the residents.

As for our urban crimes, they seem to be commiteed by all ethnicities - it's in the suburbs where certain ethnicities seem to stick out as being the bad boys.

Vancouver needs no revival of it's core. Vancouver's big problem as far as nightlife is concerned is the pukeheads that come in from the suburbs to cause trouble at the bars, and during public events like the Festival of Light.

[EyeBrock]

Vancouver and Toronto are quite different. In case you hadn't noticed. You best stop those SUV's yourself andy and Sock can police the Gardner for leeches.

Tell me andy, is it ok by you for tourists to visit Vancouver or is it just the burbites you despise?

[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Maybe we could all just try and live together?

In Ontario we pay enough taxes as it is. Miller milked Toronto a little more than the other GTA mayors with his vehicle tax and extra stamp-duty but that isn't the rest of Ontario's fault.

I find this 'us and them' attitude from people purporting to have a social conscious quite hypocritical.

Maybe Baird was right about the social elites of Toronto. It certainly seems that at least two city dwellers think everybody else is a leech on their cities and doesn’t deserve the right to visit the metropolis.

You should think about having border check points on the Gardner Expressway stopping the leeches getting in?

Wow.

Actually we do. But Suburbanites should pay their fair way, or at least quit whining about the city while they get a disproportionate benefit vs taxes paid. I'm sure you pay enough taxes in Ontario, but spread the tax burden around more equitably is what I'm saying. Land values are already higher in the city, so people pay more, but the mil rates should be the same, or maybe even lower in the city, since it should actually be more efficient to service a densely populated area vs the burbs.

[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Vancouver and Toronto are quite different. In case you hadn't noticed. You best stop those SUV's yourself andy and Sock can police the Gardner for leeches.

Tell me andy, is it ok by you for tourists to visit Vancouver or is it just the burbites you despise?

Oh, it's OK for burbites to visit Vancouver - where would we get our service workers from. Somebody gotta clean up after us.

My plan for stopping SUV's - higher gas taxes. We could lower taxes in other areas to compensate.

[EyeBrock]

Pity you didn't think the same about the influx of suburban 'protesters' and others that descended on Toronto for the G20 eh?

Protesters from Montreal = Ok by andy

Peeps from Mississauga = Leeches

Come on andy, say it isn't so!

[BartSimpson]

G-prime G-prime:

i call shenanigans. does anyone know anyone that ADMITS VOTING for him?

Thought I'd fix that for you.

[EyeBrock]

I think it's funny that all the lefties in TO are crying into their lattes.

The tide is turning!

[BartSimpson]

Andy - Van and To can do what London, England did: impose a tax/fee on all out-of-town cars entering the central city.

[andyt]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Pity you didn't think the same about the influx of suburban 'protesters' and others that descended on Toronto for the G20 eh?

Protesters from Montreal = Ok by andy

Peeps from Mississauga = Leeches

Come on andy, say it isn't so!

Ah, more Bockian logic.

You're right, those Montreal protesters are leeches too, demanding all that police and jail time, whether they actually did anything illegal or not. But they only did it once, Missisaugans, if I read you right, do it every day. And the Montrealers weren't whining about taxes.

[EyeBrock]

Well, I ask you andy.

Those guys who were torching cop cars and smashing Starbucks windows......were they Toronto residents? I note from those who got court dates, most of 'em were from outside Toronto. LEECHES!

You can't have it both ways. I'm sure half of those 'protesters' got there in daddies SUV anyway.

[andyt]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

Andy - Van and To can do what London, England did: impose a tax/fee on all out-of-town cars entering the central city.

I agree, and it's being discussed. First thing it putting a toll on the bridges. But you should hear the whining that sort of discussion brings forth.

I mean we have to drive thru the suburbs to get to the country, and seeing all those forlorn burbanitnes denied their city services really tears at your heartstrings. They just keep driving their SUVs in circles with a lost look in their eyes, like zombies. Sad really.