1. A reckless, unrealistic and gimmicky promise from @Coteau: We've been raising fares far too much in recent decades, but without a constitutional amendment guaranteeing full transit-operating-cost subsidies in perpetuity, politicians should not go down that road. https://twitter.com/stustin/status/1200816132745310209

2. Good fare-collection systems can also provide crucial economic and market feedback needed for service planning; they also, in conjunction with intelligent fare policies, use markets to allot scarce resources efficiently. Lower reliance on fares, sure, but fare free is idiocy.

3. I'll add that history shows the wangling needed to escape from reckless promises (the 1970s Bill Davis funding formula is Exhibit A in these parts) takes policy and service-provision onto dangerous and counter-productive turf.