and other general nonsense
I realize that I have become a bit of a ‘public transit’ pusher. Everywhere I go, I want to take transit over taxis, or driving. While the TTC has it’s own set of problems, I believe it to be the better way. Maybe not the nicest way, but the better way all things considered.
So much so, that I might invest in a TTC Metropass at full price (I used to get a discount) to make it that much easier.
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So.. a 1% reduction in GST instead of passing the money on to the cities.
I guess this means a savings of $15 per month for me - 3 more mocha fraps (liquid cheeseburgers) - which really won’t affect my life. However, the $400 million or whatever that the city would have received from the 1% seems like it would make a difference.
Maybe I’m taking the $15 for granted. Would $15 make a difference to someone who is closer to the poverty line? Maybe. But someone closer to the poverty line likely has a higher dependence on social services than I do. So then the question becomes - is the $15 better utilized in social services funding or personal consumption?
For me, the extra $15 dollars really goes towards funding the TTC fare hikes. If they channeled 1% to social services, the TTC likely wouldn’t have to increase fares. So it’s a wash for me. But, I have the privilege of living close to the subway.
If I was in a lower income bracket, I would likely be living in a less accessible area, thus would be more reliant on TTC buses. As a result of the TTC budget crunch, I’m sure buses are less frequent, or even cancelled. So it’s a double whammy - increased fares, and decreased service.
This is just one example, by way of the TTC, but funding for social programs is important to everyone. I don’t like increasing taxes, but accept them if I agree with what they are used for. I HATE decreasing taxes, when we have so many gaps in funding.
Though, I don’t think it’s the lower income people asking for tax cuts. It seems like the rich people - you know, the ones with all the bling and gadgets, who don’t require social services but would rather have more bling - that want tax cuts.
Think about it objectively - how does the tax cut affect EVERYONE, not just you.
This is another reason I love living in Toronto - you see both ends of the spectrum, the ultra rich and the ultra poor, every day. It’s a constant reminder of what our city, province and country is made of.
This time, I didn’t see a great usability decision made in a coffee shop. Instead, it was at the Queen St subway station.
If I am like most people, when you exit a subway train and climb the stairs to the main level of the station, you have no idea what direction you are facing. Without a sense of direction, you are faced with choosing from at least 2 different exits - each exit then branching into at least 2 (often 3) different staircases leading to street level. The signage in the station that describes these exits is usually hard to find or read, and requires a few seconds to process. A few more seconds than you have. If you ride the subway during rush hour, stopping to process the sign is like stopping to tie your shoes during the running of the bulls. So you blindly pick an exit, and hope for the best. After 5 trips to work, I figure it out, but non-regulars don’t have that kind of time.
So, what did I see this morning? Directly in front of where the turnstiles let thousands of people out of the station, in the centre of the station, on the floor - where most people are looking - is a large white arrow, in a black circle, with an N at the top. It looks just like one of those things on a map, that point north, so you know which way to hold it. Gosh Beav’, maybe it is one of those things.
Instantly, I knew exactly which direction I was facing, thus which exit to take, then which branching exit to follow. Brilliant. It probably cost all of $20, and might actually help someone.
I hope to see more where that came from.