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They aren't going to tax city residents. It's a commuter tax.
Nothing in the linked article, or even other articles i've read on the same subject, back up your claim. All that is mentioned are toll roads at entry points into the city. Name your sources if you're so sure of this.
What a naive assertion you are making here. You assume that people will only venture outside of the DC for local trips using public transit, etc. You also appear to think that cars will largely disappear. Why would you think that? What would compel you to think that people driving cars in DC will be a thing of the past?
If you want to talk facts, i'd recommend you get caught up to speed with reality.
The Post didn't do a great job detailing the plan but if you do a little bit of research, you will see that the plan is to make driving in DC very painful by getting rid of thousands of parking spaces in many of the core areas, as well as putting in zone based tolls and adding more and more speed cameras. This will happen in conjunction with Metro offering 24 hour service and hopefull adding more stations in DC.
Nothing in the linked article, or even other articles i've read on the same subject, back up your claim. All that is mentioned are toll roads at entry points into the city. Name your sources if you're so sure of this.
If you have ever driven on the ICC, you can understand the concept better. The idea is to charge commuters coming into the city a rush hour (only)/zone based toll. So for example, if you are coming into DC via Rt. 50 and New York Ave, your car will drive under a canopy featuring series of cameras that will capture your tag number. Now i don't understand how they will be able to tell the distance you have driven across the city (zone to zone) but i suspect that if you leave off a main artery, there will be a way to capture it. Most DC residence venturing to the burbs probably won't be driving into the city at rush hour.
That's not true. Hence the purpose of the 25 year plan... REDUCING DRIVERS/ number of vehicles. If you enter the city by using public transit or carpools etc you will not "pay to get to your own home every time you step outside the district." Let's state facts.
I think this new transportation initiative will dramatically change the city. It calls for 170,000 new residents, 200,000 new jobs, tolls coming into the city, 200 miles of bike lanes, metro expansion and more street cars at the expense of motorists.
200k new jobs? Sorry, this number sounds ridiculous. I don't see the federal government growing that many jobs right in the district. Please tell me, what private industry is rushing to set up shop in the district?
I understand that some people want a toll, but that will most likely further discourage people commuting to work. One of the biggest industries is tourism. Is it really smart for the district to shoot itself in the foot and start taxing tour buses, and people visiting from out of town.
I just don't see that type of growth happening. It was probably easy to imagine it because the last decade exploded this place with growth and unlimited money.
200k new jobs? Sorry, this number sounds ridiculous. I don't see the federal government growing that many jobs right in the district. Please tell me, what private industry is rushing to set up shop in the district?
I understand that some people want a toll, but that will most likely further discourage people commuting to work. One of the biggest industries is tourism. Is it really smart for the district to shoot itself in the foot and start taxing tour buses, and people visiting from out of town.
I just don't see that type of growth happening. It was probably easy to imagine it because the last decade exploded this place with growth and unlimited money.
You know cities across the country already have tolls in place. From Baltimore to Chicago to NYC, this isn't a new idea nor does it stop people from coming. Have you ever heard someone say, nah let's not go to New York because there are tolls along the way?
As for your growth comment, it's already happening. The city is adding new residents like crazy. So the 170,000 number is not far off in 25 years. Plus these people will need to work.
The commuter tax idea has been thrown around for years. It's never happening. Some powerful people happen to represent the suburbs in Congress. It's an interesting idea and it's been pretty successful in London, but London is a word-class city unlike DC, with world-class transit.
The most important transit project to me is getting a separated blue line through downtown and that will probably take decades if its ever built. There simply isn't enough tunnels/bridges between DC and Virginia. The VRE bridge over the Potomac also needs to be rebuilt and widened.
The commuter tax idea has been thrown around for years. It's never happening. Some powerful people happen to represent the suburbs in Congress. It's an interesting idea and it's been pretty successful in London, but London is a word-class city unlike DC, with world-class transit.
The most important transit project to me is getting a separated blue line through downtown and that will probably take decades if its ever built. There simply isn't enough tunnels/bridges between DC and Virginia. The VRE bridge over the Potomac also needs to be rebuilt and widened.
I think you are confused a bit. Congress has veto power of over a commuter tax for out of state residents that work in DC. But they cannot stop the city from creating tolls on major arteries. See the speed cameras as an example. Congress made a fuss but they couldn't stop it from happening.
I think you are confused a bit. Congress has veto power of over a commuter tax for out of state residents that work in DC. But they cannot stop the city from creating tolls on major arteries. See the speed cameras as an example. Congress made a fuss but they couldn't stop it from happening.
what's the purpose?
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