Oh My God Someone Please Tell Me This is Not True (Chicago: living, costs)

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

Speaking of silly potential Daley taxes, my friend and I came up with an entrance fee for using public restrooms... like 25 cents or something. hell, i'd pay it if I could go into a clean restroom.

But who the H carries change around with them anymore? Now if the door had a debit card swiper I'd use that. lol

[Tenzo]

It's true! I read it in the Onion

[jcarlilesiu]

Originally Posted by chet everett

It could be done fairly easily.

The majority of LSD is a controlled access highway, the only portion that is more "gridlike" if the section south of the river and north of the Field Museum. I suspect that trips "ending and originating" in that section would not be subject to a toll, but any trips that begin NORTH or SOUTH of their and end with the "non tourist" area would be charged. The reason that trips ENDING in the Grant Park / Musuem Campus area would be "free" would be so that the OTHER DEAL for the GARAGE LEASES would not go south (and those are super connected deals, the Mayor would NEVER think of hurting those guys...)

A combination of I-Pass style transponders, photo-enforcement cameras and online / kiosk style electronic payments could EASILY be linked together so that the firm that leases the monster could collect quite a substantial revenue stream in a mostly unobtrusive way.

Theoretically this would make MUCH MORE SENSE than the wacky idea that Burke had to have a FEE for any vehicle entering the "greater Loop business district" as the alternative for using LSD as a single vehicle commuter highway already exist and MOST are pretty good -- suburbanites NORTH of the city are well served by Metra and even CTA to Evanston / Skokie. City dwellers can pick from the El or buses or Metra. People that are NOT going to give up their cars to public 'transit commuters' can either decide to pay the tolls or take a surface street, and in some areas (Bronzeville...) this could really ENLIVEN the street scene, possibly spurring more retail development...

In general I think TOLLS ARE GREEN and if the Mayor spins this right (and gets the right people to review things before he crams it through the council) he could get a boost in approval rating. LSD is very very unique road and the city knows it. The deal they did for the Skyway was based on older technology, and frankly the traffic volumes of the Skyway are pretty pathetic. This good be a much more interesting way to go for a lot reasons...

One problem with your analysis of this rumor.

Implementation of taxation or other revenues generated by the public, to the government, for the sake of steering the populace in the direction the politicians feel is important is both scary and an obvious abuse of power.

If the Mayor wanted to encourage more use of Chicago's public transit system, he should work on improving service, cutting fares, and making the transit system more appealing to people. Instead, and as outlined in your synopsis, the city continues to maintain a smelly, delayed, overpriced, and inefficient public transportation system, and then forces people to ride it by implementing additional forms of taxation making the city even more cost ineffective.

Its sad that people look at the City and our government officials in a nanny state form.

If one thing can be said of these types of actions by the government, is that they NEVER reduce the foothold on our individual lives. The toll ways in the suburbs were created under the guise of providing better transportation and being paid for by those who utilize it. It was understood that once the cost of the highway was paid for, the tolls would be removed. We all know that will never ever happen.

Raising parking meter rates to encourage a green mentality. Installing toll ways to promote green living. Raising tax rates at downtown loop private parking facilities to facilitate a more green mentality. All a crock of BS.

You want to live green. Good for you. But please, stop pushing your beliefs off on everybody else and using the strong arm of government to do the pushing on everybody else. DOn't like that people drive on lakeshore drive. Go buy a sign and let them know.

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by NYrules

But who the H carries change around with them anymore? Now if the door had a debit card swiper I'd use that. lol

Now, see this was a couple years ago when we discussed it. i'm sure the fee would go up to at least a dollar thanks to inflation ... of course there'd be a debit card swiper that would go out, cause problems and accidentally keep the doors locked until the leased company came out to get it fixed!

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by jcarlilesiu

Implementation of taxation or other revenues generated by the public, to the government, for the sake of steering the populace in the direction the politicians feel is important is both scary and an obvious abuse of power.

Why?

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by jcarlilesiu

If the Mayor wanted to encourage more use of Chicago's public transit system, he should work on improving service, cutting fares, and making the transit system more appealing to people. Instead, and as outlined in your synopsis, the city continues to maintain a smelly, delayed, overpriced, and inefficient public transportation system, and then forces people to ride it by implementing additional forms of taxation making the city even more cost ineffective.

Mayor Daley does not run the CTA. Sorry!

[Costa Rica Chica]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

Speaking of silly potential Daley taxes, my friend and I came up with an entrance fee for using public restrooms... like 25 cents or something. hell, i'd pay it if I could go into a clean restroom.

This is what they do in Central America, lol.

[jcarlilesiu]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

Why?

Because that isn't the role of government. Infringing on liberties of the populace due to the opinions of some is an action of blatent disregard for our constitution. How arrogant do people have to be to believe that their opinions on matters are 100% truths?

What if the majority of people felt that cyclists create unsafe conditions for drivers and pushed the government to implement a bicycle sales tax of 400% to discourage people from biking?

The point of government is not to create civil liberty hardships through legislation based on individual opinions but rather provide the people the basic means and services to conduct their lives as they see fit.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by jcarlilesiu

Because that isn't the role of government. Infringing on liberties of the populace due to the opinions of some is an action of blatent disregard for our constitution. How arrogant do people have to be to believe that their opinions on matters are 100% truths?

What if the majority of people felt that cyclists create unsafe conditions for drivers and pushed the government to implement a bicycle sales tax of 400% to discourage people from biking?

The point of government is not to create civil liberty hardships through legislation based on individual opinions but rather provide the people the basic means and services to conduct their lives as they see fit.

I think you libertarians lost that battle several decades ago.

[jcarlilesiu]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

Mayor Daley does not run the CTA. Sorry!

The Mayor appoints the CTA chief. Yes, its part of his administration.

Regardless, you completely missed the point of my post.