Harry Shannon
Background: This was published today, 12 February, with the heading ‘The ultra-rich should pay their fair share.’ It follows stories about fare evasion on the Toronto Transit system (TTC), and a piece by the columnist Matt Elliott. (The italics in the final sentence got lost in the editorial process – they weren’t in the printed paper.)
So, the letter:
Re: TTC fare crackdown not a fair plan, Feb. 11
In his column on fare evasion, Matt Elliott rightly urges us to consider the wider context. He contrasts the lack of enforcement of traffic laws and the fare crackdown on the TTC.
I believe there’s an even bigger context. Companies such as Airbnb and Uber build their businesses on the principle of ‘move fast and break things.’ They try things on and see what they can get away with. Our political system flaps around and is completely ineffective in managing them.
The Mark Zuckerbergs and Jeff Bezoses of the world make tens of billions of dollars, while many of their workers are paid very low wages. Many billionaires and multi-millionaires take advantage of tax loopholes designed for the wealthy; they set up trusts or take their money offshore, so they can avoid paying their fair share of tax, saving themselves many millions of dollars.
We don’t know how many people genuinely evade paying their fare – as Elliott pointed out, there are often technical or accessibility problems. And like Elliott, I think people should pay their fare. But in an era of rule-breaking and stark inequality, why on earth wouldn’t someone who is struggling to survive financially be reluctant to shell out for their ride?