I saw someone on Twitter call the conservative outrage over this, "automobile socialism".
This definitely is one issue where the political spectrum is somewhat flipped upside down. You have conservatives (traditionally for free market capitalism) essentially arguing for a socialist road system, while you have liberals (traditionally also for mostly free market, but with government's thumb on the scale to make things more equitable) arguing for a free market solution.
The rationale is that transit loving councilors will think twice about jacking up the toll rate, and car loving councilors will think twice about jacking up the TTC rate. It puts everyone in the same boat. Its a great idea.
Exactly. It forces both 'sides' (since there is definitely a pro-car faction and a pro-transit faction on Council) to come together and find a solution that doesn't screw one group over more than the other. Instead of a $0.10 TTC fare hike and drivers paying the same, we may only get a $0.05 TTC fare hike and a $0.05 toll hike. Or they may just find some other way to make up that revenue so that neither group is scape-goated.