Imagine your family lives in a neighbourhood of 50 households. The government has informed you that through additional taxation of all neighbourhoods (including your 50 homes) it will provide each house a new, electric car to replace your existing gas guzzler. Payment of the new taxes is mandatory, but accepting a new car is optional. Each neighbourhood must decide whether they want the new cars or not.

These cars are a big upgrade to what you have now, and they operate very inexpensively. If you had to pay for the car on your own, you wouldn't consider it, but since someone else is offering to foot the bill, you would be crazy not to at least look at the option. There are many benefits to your neighbourhood; reduced noise levels, better air quality, and a reduced carbon footprint. Your neighbourhood would become more attractive to new families looking to relocate. Quality of life in your neighbourhood would improve.

Would you opt to ask for another gas guzzler instead because you thought it was more appropriate, even though it was more expensive to operate? Would you try to convince your neighbours to say no to the free electric cars even though your tax dollars would be funneled into other neighbourhoods?

Of course you wouldn't. That would be plain foolish.

The Ontario government has announced it will invest $15 billion in an approved list of transit projects in the GTHA, and one of those priority projects is Hamilton LRT. This isn't a scenario where we get to pick and choose how to spend the money. The deal on the table is for the province to pay for 100 per cent of Hamilton LRT, and all Ontarians will pay for this through their taxes.

Hamilton has three basic choices:

1. We can tell the government we will accept no transit capital projects and let our share of investment go toward building projects in Mississauga and Toronto.

2. We can choose to ask for the implementation of a BRT (bus rapid transit) system, which is proven to have limited economic benefits and is more costly to operate. Hamilton drops off the priority list of projects and won't see funding for years to come, if ever.

3. We stick with the city and provincially-approved plan for LRT, which is proven to generate more economic activity and development, and is less expensive to operate.

All three options have exactly the same initial cost. Zero. As Hamiltonians, we pay the same new taxes, even if the entire $15 billion is spent in Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton and Markham. Which of these is the most logical choice in your opinion? Who in their right mind would decide to direct our tax dollars to the advancement of our neighbouring competitors?

Here are some helpful facts when considering your position on LRT:

The approved 2014 Ontario government budget allocates $15 billion over 10 years to fund transit-related capital projects in the GTHA.

The 'H' stands for Hamilton. Hamilton's rapid transit line is included in this group of projects.

The cost of these many capital projects will be paid for by Ontario taxpayers, one way or another.

Hamiltonians are Ontarians. So Hamiltonians will contribute to the cost of these projects, whether one of them gets built in Hamilton or not.

The government has offered to pay the initial capital cost.

Studies state that if certain conditions are fulfilled, like population density and existing ridership, that LRT will succeed. Hamilton fulfils these conditions. This has been studied in depth.

The vast majority of studies say the economic and development spin off from LRT is greater than that of BRT.

BRT is more costly to operate than LRT.

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton-Burlington Society of Architects, and The Hamilton Realtors Association, and The Hamilton Spectator editorial board have all publicly endorsed LRT. Ask yourself why.

Hamilton must do something that will advance its economic position. Infrastructure costs are rising faster than revenues, the eventual outcome is bankruptcy.

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The government of Ontario has told Ontarians a large amount of money will be invested in transit infrastructure. Hamiltonians have no choice but to contribute to the cost of this new infrastructure. We must get our fair share of this $15 billion invested in our city.

The statement that "we cannot afford LRT" is an unsupportable position that denies the facts and ignores current realities. It is tantamount to saying "let's give our share of the money to our competitors." One thing is for sure, this position will do nothing to fix our crumbling infrastructure.

We can't afford not to say yes to LRT. That would be plain foolish.