Editor: In response to the letter of April 13,  鈥淭olling should not be expanded,鈥�  I understand what Ernie Mason is saying. However, even a small increase in taxes to all British Columbians is not a fair way to pay for infrastructure.

To expect a resident of B.C. to pay for a bridge or highway they may never use does not seem fair.  As British Columbians, we need to realize that infrastructure in urban areas must forever be expanding to meet growth. The same does not apply to rural areas of the province.

We need to look at the current system that is in place for the Golden Ears Bridge, and seems to be the direction being considered for the new Port Mann Bridge, as well as some other locations that have been mentioned.

For only the vehicles of B.C. to be billed for these tolls seem extremely unfair. All users  should pay. It hardly seems fair to B.C. truckers that they pay a toll to use infrastructure in the Lower Mainland, but all out-of-province trucks run for free.

I would be curious if a survey was done for just one week, to take a tally of all vehicles that use our infrastructure that are from south of the border or from provinces east of B.C. I think TransLink should look at constructing seven toll booths in the following locations:

r Highway 99 at the Peace Arch border crossing;

r 176 Street truck crossing;

r 264 Street Aldergrove border crossing;

r Highway 11 Huntingdon crossing;

r Highway 1 just west of Hope, to catch all traffic from Highways 1, 3 and 5, coming into the Lower Mainland;

r Highway 7 just west of Highway 1, to catch all traffic heading via Highway 7 into the Lower Mainland; and

r All out-of-province vehicles arriving via ferries from U.S. to Victoria.

All vehicles without B.C. plates would be required to report to a toll booth and buy a pass that would be valid for a set period (eg. one week). It would be just like a coloured sticky note, to be displayed in the front windshield. Each week would be a different colour and have a code that is valid for a week or part thereof.

Passes could run from Friday until Thursday. An out-of-province vehicle, depending on weight and axles, would pay a set rate for use of all infrastructures for the said week. For a vehicle remaining in the Lower Mainland for more than a week, additional passes could be purchased weekly as needed from any lottery retailer in the Lower Mainland.

A system like this would not only create a few jobs in the outlying area toll booths, it would probably bring in additional revenues that are much needed to create future infrastructure. It would also create a feeling of fairness to all involved. People in B.C. who do not use the tolled infrastructure won鈥檛 be paying for it, and vehicles from out-of-province would be contributing to maintain and improve the infrastructure they are using.

Mason also made reference regarding the BC Liberal party increasing their popularity many fold, and the NDP would improving their standings by adopting his suggested options.

These two parties being mentioned, or any new and upcoming political parties, would probably get more support from the voters if they would take a stand and show the people that they are still in control, and not TransLink.

R. Collick,

91原创