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Cambridge feels transit share is unfair


KCGR

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I've said it long before, Cambridge needs to improve their hub and spoke transit system and their land use planning before we can consider extending the LRT there.

Cambridge doesn't plan its own transit system, so what you mean is that the Region needs to improve Cambridge transit. They talk about doing that, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I'm not seeing those improvements.

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Cambridge doesn't plan its own transit system, so what you mean is that the Region needs to improve Cambridge transit. They talk about doing that, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I'm not seeing those improvements.

*sigh* The Coronation iXpress route would help quite a bit right about now...

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Why is it that everyone in Cambridge seems to whine a lot? "We want this", "We want that", "We want LRT, now".

The 2006 Census show the combined populations of Kitchener & Waterloo at 302,143, while Cambidge is only 120,371.

Major employers in the region:

Research In Motion (8,000 employees)

Waterloo Region District School Board (5,000 employees)

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (4,300 employees)

University of Waterloo (3,500 employees)

Manulife Financial (3,800 employees)

Sun Life Financial (3,300 employees)

Grand River Hospital (2,200 employees)

ATS Automation Tooling Systems (1,800 employees)

City of Kitchener (1,700 employees)

It seems quite obvious to me why the Region spends most of the development monies in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. That's where the people are!

Grow up Cambridge!

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<rant>

I'm fine with Cambridge not paying, as long as Kitchener and Waterloo don't have to pay for phase 2 (extending trains to Cambridge). Based on Cambridge's population, the phase 2 costs and assuming the same level of upper government support the phase 2 extension would require a Cambridge property tax increase of about 30%. If Cambridge really wants that I'm happy to let them pay for it and save me the money on my KW tax bill. Because the truth is that when you look at both phases Kitchener and Waterloo will once again be subsidizing Cambridge. Of course if we did that and Cambridge faced a 30% tax hike suddenly they'd be expecting KW to chip in.

For city that gets as much subsidy as Cambridge they sure do whine a lot about it being unfair. Looking at everything the region spends Waterloo contributes more than it gets back, Kitchener about breaks even, and Cambridge gets subsidized.

</rant>

More seriously, I'm fine with the current arrangement. Yes, it means I'll be subsidizing Cambridge's LRT, but we're one region. At the region level it's just one big region, thinking of it in terms of cities is just silly, they're arbitrary lines. I'm certain the same inequality exists within each city too.

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<rant>

I'm fine with Cambridge not paying, as long as Kitchener and Waterloo don't have to pay for phase 2 (extending trains to Cambridge). Based on Cambridge's population, the phase 2 costs and assuming the same level of upper government support the phase 2 extension would require a Cambridge property tax increase of about 30%. If Cambridge really wants that I'm happy to let them pay for it and save me the money on my KW tax bill. Because the truth is that when you look at both phases Kitchener and Waterloo will once again be subsidizing Cambridge. Of course if we did that and Cambridge faced a 30% tax hike suddenly they'd be expecting KW to chip in.

For city that gets as much subsidy as Cambridge they sure do whine a lot about it being unfair. Looking at everything the region spends Waterloo contributes more than it gets back, Kitchener about breaks even, and Cambridge gets subsidized.

</rant>

More seriously, I'm fine with the current arrangement. Yes, it means I'll be subsidizing Cambridge's LRT, but we're one region. At the region level it's just one big region, thinking of it in terms of cities is just silly, they're arbitrary lines. I'm certain the same inequality exists within each city too.

Well said, Taylor! (I'm assuming that you'll be running for Regional Council in the future? You've got my vote, with these comments!)

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