City council hikes senior transit pass while adjusting 2013 budget
Posted Nov 27, 2012 3:56 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The city’s 2013 budget debate continues downtown, and home owners are looking at a 5.5 per cent jump in taxes for next year.
This after city council made some adjustments to the annual transit pass price for Calgary seniors.
Those passes will now cost $95 in 2013, up from $55.
Alderman Brian Pincott says the increase is all part of a package to get the low income transit pass to cover everyone below the poverty line.
“Right now it doesn’t. So in order to pay for that increased cost of making the low-income transit pass available to everyone below the poverty line,” says Pincott.
In order to allow for that, Pincott says the senior transit passes must increase.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi says its it will make a big difference for many Calgarians.
He says it’s important to remember that city is charging a higher price to seniors who are earning greater then the poverty line.
Pincott says he believes about 10,000 more Calgarians will be able to qualify for low-income transit now.
