Transportation

No Tax Break for Hybrid Buses

By Jason Leach
Published October 03, 2006

The city and HSR are "surprised" that the government won't provide tax relief for the purchase of hybrid HSR buses as they do when cities purchase energy efficient cars and trucks.

They shouldn't be surprised. Transit in North America has long been viewed as a frill or social program for the poor. Yet the real "social program" taking place is the one that taxes SUV's less than compact cars and allowed the auto and oil companies to buy public transit systems in the early- to mid-1900's.

They then dismantled them by pulling up streetcar tracks and replacing efficient transport systems with inconvenient and filthy diesel buses (built and powered by you know who) as a means of creating a market for their oil dependent cars and trucks.

Hopefully the city of Hamilton can use this experience to educate the public as to who's really running the show behind our senior levels of government.

Jason Leach was born and raised in the Hammer and currently lives downtown with his wife and children. You can follow him on twitter.

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By steeltown (registered) | Posted October 03, 2006 at 15:22:06

The buses aren't on hold, they'll be arriving in December along with the seven articulated buses coming in as of January. The city had to go into the reserves to get $700,000. The city is hoping the government will change the policy and get back the $700,000.

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