A el EE a al Ea a Ao RE ll il a a Se i aA ma A eA A, “A es er a ee A RECOUNT of bus rider- ship is underway here starting this week after a dispute over counts. _ Bus-driver Dan. Hawke brought his own passenger ‘counts to city council Feb. 24; “urging council to re- verse its recent decision to eliminate some underused runs.: . He. said bus runs that B.C. Transit counted as having fewer..than five passengers averaged & to 10 passengers in his own count, - . Hawke argued cuts to service now- would be counterproductive after schedule improvements — particularly to the college — that generated a i30 per cent ridership increase here over the past two ~ years. “Transit is a public ser- vice that needs to be maintained," Hawke said. “There are some things that shouldn't be” sacri-. ficed.” City director of finance Judy Degerness said B.C. Transit has decided to do.a . new two-week passenger count It started Monday, Council approved’ the cuts to selected runs on: B.C. Transit’s recammen- dation .rather than. put. $23,000 in. extra city money into the bus system. . Hawke applauded coun- cil for its efforts to. main- tain services. without tax increases in the face of se- vere government’ down-— loading, adding the city needs ta continue that re- cord on transit. “Keep the transit sys- tem going as it is — don't cut it,” Hawke said. . Transit gas tax idea runs dry A PROPOSAL to further increase gasoline taxes to pay for transit dosts here will likely be shelved, city council- ' Jor David Hull predicts. B.C, Transit officials had asked council to consider throwing its support behind a plan to boost fuel taxes by two cents per litre. But Hull said that idea is probably off now that the © ‘province added a 3.5 cents per litre increase to the pro- vincial fuel tax as of March 1 to pay for a three-year : ; road work plan. “1 think B.C. Transit will back off now,” he said. “Gordo beat them to it.” “The Terrace transit system is facing potential cuts be- cause the province has frozen the money it gives towns via B.C. Transit for busing. Council was asked to consider a series of scenarios for long-term financing of bus systems. One would have given Terrace and other towns a transit. Share of province-wide fuel taxes now collected for ‘Another would have created a local fuel tax here in which money collected would go to the city for transit. In either scenario the new money would offset declin- ing subsidies from Victoria through B.C. Transit. Council had wanted to explore an option in which the city would get all fuel tax revenue raised here and in ex- change take over all transit, road and bridge costs from Victoria. That would mirzor,a system now rich Greater Vancouver area! Elan fay ie @ re “facing” cuts ait ie ity A few underused route! city officials say the multi-year freeze will put much more pressure on the local bus system in future years. Council has, however, agreed to re-visit possible ser- vice cuts pending a new count of bus ridership which is now taking place. MedicAlert®, The bracelet with an emergency hotline linked to your medical record. Call 1-866-734-9423 or visit www.medicalert.ca &MedicAlert Lets You Live Life, Because you love your life. 7 Canndlan Bunny Boots - | for (rion steel tos) trom size 8-14 $1 50. 00 New Westminster, B. Cc. : 1-B88-880-0 0783 | Join Us For Some Funt., TERRACE PEAKS GYMNASTICS CLUB Spring Registration When: March 15, 2003 Where: Ed Fairless Memorial Gymnasium {Attached to Thornhill Communily Centre] Time: — 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Classes are available for bay and girls at all ages and stages, including a “Bounces and Tickles” program for ‘children under 2 % years of age. Registrants are required to pay in full at time of registration (cash or cheques only}. Your child's medical number is also required. For more information, phone 638-0447. ~-Also-a big th rik you to.all the. =~ other individuals who, helped! .. ig; im Hea oe on Councillors “called Hawke's presentation con- vincing, adding it suggests _— if he's right — that their ‘decision to cut runs was the wrong move. “The .information we got today and the informa- tion we had before certain- ‘ty doesn’t line up,” Stew Christensen said. Extra money could come from some combina- tion of a modest tax in- - crease or. higher bus fares, -Hawke said. Adding the entire cost ‘to property taxes would cost the average household $3 more per year, he.said. He also noted there hasn't been an increase to the present $1.25 bus fare in at least 10 years. “A 25 per cent increase wouldn't be out of line and I.don’t think. you'd lose many riders as a result of t,”. Hawke said. City, administrators will review. fares charged in other cities and report back ..on that and how much money a fare hike here would raise. Any cuts to routes won't actually happen before July 2. The bus system budget crunch is happening be- cause the province has fro- zen the subsidies it pro- vides via B.C. Transit. Dan Hawke No. 1 Grade, California - ~ Grown, 2.18/kg «ones “Glazed _remeBoughnuts Foe Sispsat "708 743 SO MUCH ‘none IN STORE