British Columbia will proceed with a public referendum on transit spending for the province. In an interesting wrinkle, Premier Christy Clark says the referendum will offer multiple choices. City leaders are concerned about the possible outcomes.
In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Clark provided details on the controversial transit referendum. “It needs to be a multiple-choice question. A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ doesn’t do justice to the questions that are there,” Ms. Clark said. “We really want to ask people – how much transit do you want and how do you want to pay for it? How much change do you want or do you want no change to the system at all?”
"Ms. Clark said the referendum would take place next November in conjunction with municipal elections and she won’t engage in shaping the outcome," reports Justine Hunter. "However, Ms. Clark’s Minister of Transport, Todd Stone, gently contradicted her on all of her key points in an interview Wednesday."
"Mr. Stone said the ballot question has not yet been decided, nor has the date and he said he intends to be an active participant in lobbying for a vote in favour of more spending."
FULL STORY: Vancouver transit funding referendum to offer multiple choices, Clark confirms
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