Raise the Hammer

Jason >> thousands of people a day will be dropped off at his doorstep. People=customers=money=good business. Cars speeding by to the Meadowlands aren't helping his business one bit.

Why will thousands of people get out of their cars and start taking the LRT to travel dowtown? They could do that today today using their cars, but like you say, they would rather drive farther to go elsewhere.

The problem with the downtown is not how fast people can get there, it's the poverty, the run down buildings and the lack of shopping venues. Introducing LRT will do nothing to address these, but will only make those who rely on public transportation more likely to stick around. LRT will be a poor magnet.

In contrast, cutting people's taxes WOULD make the downtown better, because it would do the complete opposite. It would INCREASE the number of shops and private businesses.

Lower taxes = more disposable income = more shopping = more vibrant community.

Think about it, why do people go to Ancaster in the first place, it's the SHOPPING, not the government services. If you want more shopping downtown, you need less government spending and more private sector spending.

The easiest and quickest way to increase the percentage of private sector activity downtown, is not to allow the government to spend more money on things like LRT, it's to the complete opposite. Give the money back to the people and let them decide where they want to spend it. If enough people want mass transit, business will provide it.

It comes down to this, if the LRT is truly a service that is being demanded by the people of Hamilton, they will pay full price for it, just as they do for everything else they buy. The government doesn't subsidize electronics stores, fast food restaurants, or book stores, yet they manage to stay in operation. Why should LRT be any different.

If LRT delivers a service consumers value, it doesn't need taxpayer money to keep it from going bankrupt.