New Calgary transit fees.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

So Ronald I should move into the core and pay twice as much for a house I can't now afford? So me living in a good neighborhood and being able to provide a house for my family and daughters is not the right choice. I should force them to live in an apartment in the core and eat bread every night? As it stands right now what if i could not afford to pay for this parking? $900 dollars a year and maybe i could not afford it what then? Should my family suffer because I have a job downtown. What are my other options to save this $900 dollars a year so my family doesn't suffer? (this is all assuming that i could not afford to sacrifice more like a lot of people in society) What if a family is scraping by on the fact you got a job downtown and now you don't have bus service and you have to find another $900 a year just to make it to work so your family does not starve.

I understand your point Ronald, but you have to remember a lot of people cannot afford $200 more a year let alone almost one thousand a year. What happens if those people are required to stay where they are at and have no other options? Should their family suffer more because the kids parents can't be home for an extra 2 hours a day? Don't even get me started on the fact do you know what an additional 2 hours of child care is just so you can get to work.

You are probably both living downtown and single. You have to remember i am not fighting for myself i can afford this and have no problem I am fighting for the people that can't and have no other option.

I'm really sick of all the whining from people who live in the suburbs. When I moved with my family to the burbs I picked a neighbourhood close to a train station for this very reason. People who buy houses in Cranston and then bitch about commuting times, cost of commute, length of commute, no easy access to train, etc.... just get on my nerves. Have some foresight and take responsibility for your decisions. It's like the people who move to Brentwood and then bitch about the noise of the airplanes. Do some F'ing research before you make the biggest purchase of your lives.

It's a $3 a day charge and there is talk about having a monthly pass that includes parking for a discount. If you can't afford it then you're not going to stop feeding your family or be forced to move downtown. You'll simply have to find alternative means to get to the train station. You know, a carpool, the bus or driving close to a train and then walking four or five blocks. Stop being so melodramatic, it's just a user fee.

[Ethaniel]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Agreed. $3 is pennies when compared to daily parking downtown.

I think this is an EXCELLENT idea because guess what? High demand for Park and Ride parking means the City should be jacking up the price. This way, people will look at driving as less of an option, might decide to take other forms of transportation to work, or could even car pool to the Park 'n Rides. Four people in a car? For less than a dollar per day, you can still get to work, reduce the number of cars on the road, create a less demand for infrastructure funding, and help promote the environment.

It's a good idea all around.

Hey i would pay the money i would pay $5 a month if i could actually get a parking spot. Now they want to take away parking. So imagine if downtown lost half its parking and started charging 3 times more. People would be complaining.

Once again i understand their are options, but a lot of people don't have $900 dollars a year extra. Maybe they should move or leave the city all together, but it is harder than writing it on a forum.

I still think the City is going to have a huge issue of people flooding the neighborhoods. Then why would anyone want to live close to a station if they can't park outside their house?

[Rathji]

If they make me pay to park at a park and ride then it eliminates the benifit of me taking the train, since I may as well park at school and pay a little extra and not have to deal with an hour long train ride.

At least it will make the trains less crowded

[Russic]

It's mildly irritating, but I wouldn't say I'm boiling with rage. It certainly isn't a deal-breaker regarding transit because its a service I don't mind paying for. Even at $90/month for a pass I'm still saving money on gas and parking.

When we were looking for our current house, one big factor for me was being close to an LRT station. in the end it came down to two houses similar in all ways except for proximity to the LRT. We payed a little more for the location and every day I get more and more pleased at that decision. 2 min bus ride to the LRT is extrememly convenient.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

Once again this is not me that I am talking about Hulkrogan. Some people are in far worse shapes that what i described. Living week to week on a very strict budget. What about those people? What about the single mom with 2 kids and her husband died and life insurance paid off her house, but that is not enough and she has to get downtown to have a decent paying job to support her kids. Now she has 2 hours more childcare and is paying $900 more per month. I agree she has other options, but do you think a lot of people want to up and move just like that?

I got a great idea i think they should start charging full fare price for all travels in the core too. Get rid of the free fare zone and all those business people downtown would a brick over this.

I wasn't saying "you" specifically referring to yourself. That sure is sad about the single mom who's husband is dead, but my point stands. If $60 breaks her monthly budget, sell the house and buy something cheaper or rent. Said single mom can't afford her current lifestyle and needs to change it.

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

So, by jacking up the price of parking AT THE TRANSIT STATION it will make people want to take transit? That's well thought out.

It is. People will think about taking transit all the way instead of hopping in their car to start their day. If you've noticed, transit demand isn't exactly a problem. Dalhousie Park'N'Ride is full by 6:30am. Do you think it won't fill up anymore? It still will, and the city will get more money to put towards transit, and more people will walk/bike/bus to train stations. I think the best thing they could do is put in some better free bike parking facilities.

[Bobblehead]

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...1-f0cd8be72357

Additional article about it today.

[Ethaniel]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I'm really sick of all the whining from people who live in the suburbs. When I moved with my family to the burbs I picked a neighbourhood close to a train station for this very reason. People who buy houses in Cranston and then bitch about commuting times, cost of commute, length of commute, no easy access to train, etc.... just get on my nerves. Have some foresight and take responsibility for your decisions. It's like the people who move to Brentwood and then bitch about the noise of the airplanes. Do some F'ing research before you make the biggest purchase of your lives.

It's a $3 a day charge and there is talk about having a monthly pass that includes parking for a discount. If you can't afford it then you're not going to stop feeding your family or be forced to move downtown. You'll simply have to find alternative means to get to the train station. You know, a carpool, the bus or driving close to a train and then walking four or five blocks. Stop being so melodramatic, it's just a user fee.

What about the case in which my neighborhood was supposed to have transit (buses) already in place. Guess what they are not there. Where do i go to avoid this cost. I am not whining for my case again ! Just stating lots of people are number crunching everyday to survive in calgary. Maybe they should leave or sell their house and run or rent, but the City of Calgary is making these people talk about this instead of helping them as well.

[Robbob]

In theory its a good idea for them to make some money. The only thing is that I don't trust the city at all to hand the new source of income. It just a new money that instead of spending on security (like it was initially suggested) they will take the money to upgrade their gym and city hall facilities. Bottom line the city will screw it up.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

Hey i would pay the money i would pay $5 a month if i could actually get a parking spot. Now they want to take away parking. So imagine if downtown lost half its parking and started charging 3 times more. People would be complaining.

They don't want to take away parking. Rather, it will have the reverse effect of creating more parking since those who don't want to pay won't pay. More spaces for you.

People are already complaining about high parking prices. I find it funny that private companies can get away with $24 / day in the core, and when the City wants to charge $3, the world comes to an end.

[calculoso]

It's still a fricken shell game.

They have X that they want to spend (the amount above what they collected previously), and if they can't get X from taxes, they'll increase user fees and dividends from Enmax and other stuff to get X.

When will they get it through their thick skulls that X has to decrease?!?!?

[Ethaniel]

Ozy,

My case is they are charging $3 more at the LRT and Bus Park N Ride stations yes, but what is this money going to? Like others have mentioned the city at this time is not trying to help the people very much. So we are talking a 9% tax increase next year plus $900 for parking at a Station + high bus/train fares. What is next? Just build a 1.6 mil training facility and a 25 million dollar walking bridge.

So i am paying the 9% taxes + 900 a year next year for them to extend the cars to 4. Then after that is done......

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

I still think the City is going to have a huge issue of people flooding the neighborhoods. Then why would anyone want to live close to a station if they can't park outside their house?

if parking lots are full now and people don't flood the neighbourhood streets, how will a full parking lot that generates revenue be any different?

how many houses do not have a garage or parking pad? virtually zero, because it's a bylaw to have mandatory on site parking.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by calculoso

It's still a fricken shell game.

They have X that they want to spend (the amount above what they collected previously), and if they can't get X from taxes, they'll increase user fees and dividends from Enmax and other stuff to get X.

When will they get it through their thick skulls that X has to decrease?!?!?

What is X can't decrease? What if X is as low as it can go without compromising basic services? Hypothetical, but your question works both ways.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by fotze

Such a weird issue. I have issue with the spending problem but agree with the spraawl issues and unsustainable issues, bnd it like beorgeois agrees with me on the spending habits of the city but is totally on the opposite side with the planning. Pagan probably thinks the city should tax the hell out of people and have a more sustainable plan. Interesting if nothing else.

True enough. It really does bring out belief systems. I'll take the majority of people's stupid decisions over the government's any day. I look at the gong show that is city hall and can't bring myself to trust they'll build the shangri-la we all want to live in.

Others are so certain they know what shangri-la is they can't imagine anyone would ever want anything else.

You're just a dirty old man of course. More money for hookers and blow, and make the chicks closer to walk to for gods sake.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

It is well thought out. There will still be enough people in this city who can pay the $3 per day, and there will be enough demand.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'll wager that for every person NOT going to pay the fee, there are two Calgarians who WILL.

Supply and demand, bud.

If you know about supply and demand, then you know if you raise the price of one good and don't raise the price of the replacement then more people will will shift to the replacement. Look up elasticity of demand curves (bud).

And for every person who won't pay the fee there are 2 who will? BS. Because people really are fighting to pay more service fees so city employees (of which you are one, aren't you?) can lounge in your new fitness club.

But I'm thinking the difference comes for the perceived purpose of mass transit?

Is it to generate revenue for the city?
Reduce congestion?
Or something else (lower pollution, provide low cost transportation for low income earners, etc)?

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...1-f0cd8be72357

Additional article about it today.

Hmm... only a one liner about the $3/day park and ride fee (buried in an article about the recycling budget, no less), yet we see hundreds of reader comments all addressing it. Am I weird to think this seems suspicious?!?

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by Ronald Pagan

not really

People should be paying the full cost of their decisions. That's what I believe in.

Including decisions like going to university, not working, recycling, etc.?

[North East Goon]

I am going to talk to the people that live around my C-Train stop, perhaps I can convince one of them to allow me to park in or behind their house for $50.00 a month. I would rather help some family, then give my money to Bronco!

[Bunk]

edit

[Ethaniel]

Screw that North East Goon just park in the neighborhood on their streets.

Like Bobblehead said if there is an alternative to not paying at the best convenience to the person it will happen.