Mario Canseco: Transit — Why we just don’t want to pay for anything

In the 15th century, John Morton, then the Archbishop of Canterbury, explained the rationale for establishing a new taxation regime for England through a statement known as “Morton’s Fork”. For the archbishop, the rich had to pay more taxes because they could afford to live extravagantly, and the poor had to pay more taxes because they had already demonstrated the ability to save and live frugally. The world of politics has provided many opportunities to look at more modern versions of “Morton’s Fork” and false dichotomies. In Metro Vancouver, the failure of the “Yes” side in last year’s transit plebiscite can be partially attributed to a campaign that appeared to pit two groups — drivers and transit users — against each other. Several news conferences and forward-looking statements outlined doom for vulnerable groups, and even health problems if residents did not consent to a tax hike. In the end, most of us chose “No”, including both drivers and transit riders.