Saturday, September 27, 2008

I am pleased to Renounce...


Toll Smoll.

Drek in; drek out.

Now, the Preem has taken to getting teary-eyed every time he announces one of his little pea-and-shell games.

Lord! Will someone take this poor fellow out for a quiet walk somewhere.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Contrary to the 'media's' - bombshell - announcement, making the Coquihalla toll free was a reelection sop to the trucking industry and Kamloops and Kelowna voters. I t was expected and if Baldry and Palmer can't get it, they should get out of the business.

Contrary to reports that the toll has more than paid for the 'Coke', it is not true, rather it just paid the interest.

Kelowna has seen a devastating drop in tourist dollars and the $10.00 car toll is seen to greatly improve tourism. I doubt as, Kelowna itself and its sprawled development has made a little tourist city into an ugly tourist trap .

The trucking industry, hugely subsidized by the taxpayer, wants the taxpayer to foot the bill to keep the 'Coke' open. BC's trucking industry has never paid its own freight and wants a return for financially supporting Campbell & Co.

What Campbell & Co. has done is set a double standard for BC taxpayers, where lower mainland residents, not only have to pay toll on local new highways & bridges, must now subsidize interior taxpayers as well.

BC blacktop politics at its best.

David Berner said...

Excellent commentary.

Thank you very much.

Anonymous said...

If Kelowna's Chamber of Commerce thinks taking off the $10 toll, in an age of $1.30 to $1.50 a litre gas, they must be smoking a good grade of BC bud.

Recently, a friend of mine has to go to Kelowna on emergency family business and stayed in a (his quote - "2-star motel") and was charged $150 a night, August rate.

Said motel was half full and was somewhat shabby, but it was convenient for his needs.

Now switch to our family trek to Anaheim, by car. Instead of taking the I-5 back to BC (I believe in auto vacations as a learning experience for children and I hate flying), we went via Reno (Hwy. 395 - beautiful trip!), getting into Reno late we were going to stay at a 2 star motel when the wife went into a major hotel. Even though it was spring break, 2 kids, and we stayed 2 nights, we got the room for $60 a night!

We paid the same rate of $60 a day in Portland (2 kids 3 nights & full breakfast, pool sauna, gym) in 2006 at a Red Lion Inn.

Why would I ever go to Kelowna for a holiday!

Taking the tolls off the Coquihalla is a cheap political stunt, let's treat as such.