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<TITLE>Re: [GREN-Exec] gas taxes</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>To add to what Susan said, currently Toronto has the power to levy such a tax because the Province passed special legislation giving them powers that no where else in Ontario has. Good old Ford is now withdrawing some of the special taxes the last council put in place under this legislation. Waterloo Region should say that because the Province did not come through with the funding expected from them, they should give Waterloo Region the same revenue raising powers that they gave to Toronto.<BR>
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John<BR>
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On 11-01-05 2:19 PM, "Susan Koswan" <<a href="dandelion@gto.net">dandelion@gto.net</a>> wrote:<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>I am absolutely blown away by the potential revenue generated by a gas tax of only 1 cent per litre! This is what we have to push for. (my bold and underline below). Just talked to John on the phone and his thinking was that the Region should approach the province for the authority to impose a gas tax because of the shortfall in their commitment to the LRT. <BR>
I think this funding approach would be entirely palatable to the residents of the Region. For my 50 litre tank Honda Civic, this means an extra 50 cents per fill-up. Chump change that adds up to big bucks. <BR>
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Susan K<BR>
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Gasoline Tax <BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><UL><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>In most cases, revenues from a gasoline tax are earmarked for local roads and public transit. The tax affects both residents and visitors.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>For every one litre of gasoline sold in Ontario, the provincial government collects almost 15 cents.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'><B><U>It is estimated that every cent of taxes levied on a litre of gasoline raises revenues between $19 million and $28 million.</U></B> In the GTA, each cent per litre would generate annual revenues ranging from $47 million to $53 million.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>Montreal's Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) is partially funded by a 1.5 cent /litre gas tax (total raised: $47 million).
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>Greater Vancouver's TransLink (Vancouver Regional Transit System) is partially funded by a 4 cent/litre gas tax (total raised: $79 million).
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>Public transit in the U.S. is receiving 2.8 cents per gallon (0.7 cents/litre) from gas taxes to reduce deficits (Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century). It is estimated that American transit systems will receive more than $29 billion from gas taxes over the next five years.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>Different U.S. states collect different tax rates:
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>The state of Michigan collects 19 cents per gallon gas tax and diverts 1.5 cents to a Comprehensive Transportation Fund.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>The state of Florida diverts 8.8 cents per gallon to a Transportation Trust Fund.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><LI><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>New York State provides subsidies to transit systems based on the Petroleum Business Tax. The tax is measured by the quantity of various petroleum products refined or sold in the state or imported for sale or use in the state. The state collects approximately 10 cents per gallon. <BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></UL><FONT COLOR="#1F497D"><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'><a href="http://www.canadascities.ca/caoreport_062000.htm#5">http://www.canadascities.ca/caoreport_062000.htm#5</a><BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'><B>From:</B> <a href="executive-bounces@gren.ca">executive-bounces@gren.ca</a> [<a href="mailto:executive-bounces@gren.ca">mailto:executive-bounces@gren.ca</a>] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Susan Koswan<BR>
<B>Sent:</B> January-05-11 2:04 PM<BR>
<B>To:</B> 'GREN Executive'<BR>
<B>Subject:</B> Re: [GREN-Exec] FW: [Priorities] new Toronto transit report by Pembina<BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'><FONT COLOR="#1F497D"><FONT FACE="Arial">Thanks for sending this John.<BR>
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The 25 year experience in Calgary is eye-opening! : Great factoids like this: “</FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Arial">The City of Calgary has found that buses are approximately six times as costly to operate as LRT” !!!<BR>
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I also like that they got money from a provincial gas tax fund. Could the Region of Waterloo impose a local gas tax? I’d certainly be willing to pay extra for gas if I knew it was going directly to finance public transit – it would be the kind of tax shift that the Green Party has been pushing for. We have to make it more expensive and more difficult to do the “wrong” behaviour. <BR>
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Still reading…<BR>
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Susan K <BR>
<FONT COLOR="#1F497D"> <BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Tahoma, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'><B>From:</B> <a href="executive-bounces@gren.ca">executive-bounces@gren.ca</a> [<a href="mailto:executive-bounces@gren.ca">mailto:executive-bounces@gren.ca</a>] <B>On Behalf Of </B>John Jackson<BR>
<B>Sent:</B> January-05-11 10:16 AM<BR>
<B>To:</B> GREN Executive<BR>
<B>Subject:</B> [GREN-Exec] FW: [Priorities] new Toronto transit report by Pembina<BR>
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:12pt'> <BR>
</SPAN></FONT><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Thought you might find this report interesting after our discussion last night. It is comparing LRT with subways but it still has a lot of useful car-LRT comparisons and arguments for LRT.<BR>
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John<BR>
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-- <BR>
John Jackson<BR>
17 Major Street<BR>
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4R1<BR>
519-744-7503<BR>
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