NEWS EDITORIAL

March 17, 2008

Dear residents,

On March 19, the City's Transit Committee will be reviewing the Transit Levy Policy, which will affect the Town Transit Tax for Stittsville.

When OC Transpo service was being introduced to Stittsville, the former Councillor negotiated a transitional transit tax for Stittsville, and designated it a Town Transit Area (TTA) given the area was not receiving the same level of transit service as the Urban Transit Area (UTA).

When the TTA was created in 2005, it was agreed upon by City Council that the program would be reviewed after three years, which would be the fall of 2008, and include public consultation.

The 2007 tax rates for an average house in Stittsville valued at $279,000 for the TTA is $305.74 and the UTA for the same value home is $486.18.

As service in Stittsville increases within the next few years, the transit tax will continue to rise and will eventually meet the UTA taxation levels. Please note Kanata West residents pay the UTA rate.

Under the UTA framework, your bus passes would see a decrease in cost. For example, a rural express pass, which residents currently purchase, will go from $114/month to $90/month.

Service levels would eventually rise to meet the UTA standard.

As your Councillor, I believe we should not completely shift from the TTA to the UTA in 2008, given the substantial increase to your taxes and considering there has been no adequate community consultation.

I encourage you to attend the Transit Committee meeting and speak to this item. This meeting will be held on March 19 starting at 1:30 p.m. in the Champlain Room (2nd Floor, Heritage Building, City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. W).

To register to speak and provide comments to the Transit Committee, please contact the committee coordinator, Anne-Marie Leung at 613-580-2424 ext. 21385 or via e-mail at Anne-Marie.Leung@ottawa.ca.

As well, please send your comments to my office at Shad.Qadri@ottawa.ca.

The Transit Levy Policy Review Report is available on the City’s website at the following link:

http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/tc/2008/03-19/ACS2008-PTE-TRA-0001.htm

This is a critical issue for our community and it is important that you make your voice heard.

Sincerely,
Councillor Shad Qadri

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