Comment 52060

By A Smith (anonymous) | Posted November 23, 2010 at 12:00:18

Ryan >> an LRT system will: Increase the productivity of our existing built infrastructure.

If dense cities are models of economic efficiency, then why are both Hamilton and Toronto deeper in debt than the burbs?

>> Increase our net tax assessment, alleviating pressure on residential property taxes.

That is your talking point, but it is not based on facts. Hamilton currently has lots of mass transit, more so than Burlington and yet Burlington's downtown area is filled with new condos, while Hamilton properties sit vacant.

>> Reduce the pressure to build sprawl, which drains the city of money.

Than why do the burbs have better balance sheets than Hamilton and Toronto, even while having lower overall tax rates on investment?

>> Reduce Hamilton's exposure to energy price volatility.

And if people are worried about energy prices, they will voluntarily bid up the price of properties along existing mass transit lines. The fact that there is so little demand for downtown properties tells us people currently value other things more than they do mass transit.

>> Accommodate the expected massive demographic influx of people moving back into cities,

And if this starts to happen, we should see increased ridership along current mass transit lines and more development. Until this happens, there is no reason to build infrastructure that we don't need.

>> In none of your comments have you directly addressed this evidence, which I take to mean that you accept it and prefer to change the subject.

I wait your comments.

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