Before we close the coffin lid on the TransLink vehicle levy, let's review what we've learned through its tortured life and early death.

First, it's clear Canadians are fed up with new levies. A levy is a tax by another name and taxpayers aren't of a mind to hand over more dollars for public services they feel they're already paying for.

Politicians will have to accept that people expect this to be an era of tax cuts. As it is, federal income tax reductions, recently bestowed, are being gobbled by higher fuel costs and Canadian Pension Plan hikes.

Another point to be made with respect to the TransLink levy - about $120 per vehicle owner: It reflected taxation without representation.

The 15 members sitting on TransLink's board had better smarten up. They aren't a taxing authority; they have no mandate from The People.

In view of the prevailing anti-tax mood of the citizenry, federal, provincial and municipal politicians would be wise to work together to set priorities for spending, then marshal existing - repeat, existing - resources.

This isn't happening with Lower Mainland transit needs.

In 1998, the province created TransLink, a toothless bureaucratic tiger to manage the largest transit area in Canada. TransLink received a previously existing budget of about $500 million. Then Victoria sat back and watched TransLink squirm for new sources of revenue.

TransLink recognized it was in a pickle and tried enlisting help from the federal and provincial governments. In vain.

This, too, is instructive. What was demonstrated next is that elected politicians really are interested only in achieving their own political objectives, not working for the greater public good.

It's no secret that the Lower Mainland has major catching up to do in transit and road improvements. If this isn't done, traffic gridlock and pollution will worsen.

So you'd think the feds would have stepped in to lend a hand.

Nope. Despite repeated TransLink appeals to Liberal MPs from B.C. and a fairly intense meeting with Finance Minister Paul Martin - nothing.

Ottawa has been collecting major money from British Columbians through the federal fuel tax for eons. The feds don't advertise it, but 96 per cent of that tax, collected across Canada, goes straight into the big vat in Ottawa where they keep all the cash.

If Ottawa, for once, had B.C. interests in mind, it might have arranged for a specific amount of cash over a set period of time to be devoted to TransLink-designated projects. It can still do this. But there's no political percentage in such a course - TransLink would wind up getting the political credit. And if Ottawa does not ante up, TransLink will have to wear the disaster that ensues.

When TransLink sought provincial help, in collecting and enforcing its vehicle levy, Victoria was aghast.

That's no surprise, given this is an election year and MLAs are consumed with covering their own backsides. Their answer to TransLink: "Buzz off; you aren't going to spoil our election campaign."

(To be fair, B.C. spends 65 per cent of what it collects in fuel tax on transportation initiatives.)

So, this is how the political world works. Decisions are based on what will benefit the politicians more than on, say, improving conditions for the little people who ride buses and drive cars.

No question, Canada's third-largest city needs money to improve roads and bridges and upgrade its transit network.

This city doesn't even have a rapid bus or mass transit link from the airport to downtown. That's absurd, given the city's size and the importance of tourism. With news of the vehicle levy's demise and the anticipated loss of the $95 million a year it would have raised, TransLink board member Gordon Price told me this week: "We'll just have to deal with the resources we have available and see how the pain gets allocated. The consequences are going to be serious."

The parties with the responsibility to address this situation are the Chre-tien and Dosanjh governments. They have substantial revenue-raising capacities. Together, they collect several billion dollars annually in fuel taxes directly from B.C. citizens.

The ball is now in Ottawa's and Victoria's court. Thanks to the sordid little story of the TransLink vehicle levy, we are on to them.