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I'd agree however we are facing a pretty big problem in this country, many of those bridges on the Interstate are past their lifespan. They need to be replaced. continuing to with the band aid approach is only going to cost us more in the long run.
Roads and bridges don't have to be funded from the gas tax. They are a basic function of government and can be funded from general revenue. Even people who don't have a driver's license benefit from roads, since most of what they buy is going to be delivered by truck.
Again I would want to see us cut things like Amtrak before a penny of gas tax is raised. We already have way too much money flowing through Washington DC. Federal spending has gone up by 40% since 2002 (after adjusting for inflation). Federal Spending by the Numbers 2013
Federal spending as a percentage of GDP is at an all time high of about 24%. With all that additional spending, why didn't some go to infrastructure?
The government is not providing anybody with cheap gas.Be honest in your assertions, you want to penalize cheap gas with higher taxes.
I want American consumers to make good long term energy decisions. Gas subsidized by all the general funds money we spend to facilitate a society based upon the private automobile is a poor transportation choice.
The big problem with transit is cost. A local think tank here gave the cost of transit by bus at $1.70 per passenger mile. I decided to look up the cost of the cost per passenger mile by private car, and it was approx. 37 cents per passenger mile.
So bus costs about 4.5 times more than car. The actual number is probably much worse considering that cars are fairly heavily taxed (sales tax, gas tax, tab taxes) where as transit is not. Until that problem is worked out transit is a loser.
The big problem with transit is cost. A local think tank here gave the cost of transit by bus at $1.70 per passenger mile. I decided to look up the cost of the cost per passenger mile by private car, and it was approx. 37 cents per passenger mile.
So bus costs about 4.5 times more than car. The actual number is probably much worse considering that cars are fairly heavily taxed (sales tax, gas tax, tab taxes) where as transit is not. Until that problem is worked out transit is a loser.
Your figuring is wrong. Cars are about twice what you figure.
In addition to the direct cost, you have to add in congestion cost of having millions of people stuck in commuter traffic. The fact is, you can't have a mega 21st century city based on private auto transportation.
A hike in the federal gas tax -- so these advocates argue -- would have a smaller psychological impact at a time like this, when the cost of filling up is low.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ih2puo
Ahhh now we know the rest of the story......
Call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever...
Your figuring is wrong. Cars are about twice what you figure.
In addition to the direct cost, you have to add in congestion cost of having millions of people stuck in commuter traffic. The fact is, you can't have a mega 21st century city based on private auto transportation.
Why do you have it stuck in your head that everyone does or should live in a "mega city"?
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