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Increasing gas taxes, especially now, will only serve to HURT those who can least afford it - the poor.
Remember - there are those that actually do NEED their cars - be they old or new. And also remember there are those who live in areas where there is NO PUBLIC transportation available to them - they have no alternative but to drive their cars - often for long distances.
No we're going to take the gas tax and further subsidize Metro and other responsible transportation options. So I get to subsidize your transportation even more. Gee, thanks. Along with tolerating the smash and grab artists coming down Rte. 4 and returning I get to subsidize your choice of transportation, which I will never use. As I stated, I'll go along with a gas tax increase if you pay more of your share for Metro rather than the current 33%. I like 90% for you.
BTW gasoline is heavily subsidized. Link for this? Or opinion from a talking point? Load the cost of our military presence in the Middle East on the price of gasoline and you'll use less.
Another talking point but I'll bite.
And I will use less because? My work will still be the same distance away. As will the doctor, the grocery and other places I frequent. I will note that no public transportation options exist now or for the forseeable future for those trips.
So if I understand your point: you are in favor of dumping the costs of your transportation choice on to others in the form of higher taxes.
Another talking point but I'll bite.
And I will use less because? My work will still be the same distance away. As will the doctor, the grocery and other places I frequent. I will note that no public transportation options exist now or for the forseeable future for those trips.
So if I understand your point: you are in favor of dumping the costs of your transportation choice on to others in the form of higher taxes.
We all make choices. I choose to live in an area accessible to public transportation. The government approves of that decision and transfers money to make mass transit more attractive. That's a socially desireable choice. People who make choices to live in area not served by public transportation pay more. That will increase your incentive to make better decisions in the future.
We all make choices. I choose to live in an area accessible to public transportation. The government approves of that decision and transfers money to make mass transit more attractive. That's a socially desireable choice. People who make choices to live in area not served by public transportation pay more. That will increase your incentive to make better decisions in the future.
So let's see: your better decision has you living in one of the highest cost cities in the country, with a failed public school system, a crime rate that is out of control, an almost non-existent middle class and what is just now becoming a non-dysfunctional local government (and that could change over night). And you want me to subsidize your ride to work. In theory I agree with public transportation, just don't pick my pocket to pay for it. Like I said, raise the fares to where the ridership is paying 90% and that becomes more attractive for me.
And not everyone sees the virtue of living in the cultural Mecca of DC, or any other city. So from my view I have made the better decision.
Most of the damage to bridges and highways is done by commercial trucks, and they already pay additional taxes for it.
No new or increased taxes - on anything. The government has demonstrated time and time again that it can't be trusted with our money. They spend like drunken sailors. They already bring in PLENTY of money. They should learn to spend it more responsibly - just like the rest of us have to do.
I liken giving the government a gas tax to pay for road repairs to the same logic of giving our school administrators more money to improve our education system. Both are waste of $$$. I would have no problem giving the individual teachers money so that they can better educate their students or the private paving company, bridge builder money to fix the roads. Once you hand it over to the bureaucrats you will loose $.90 that will go to waste, corruption and things other than what it was intended for.
I say no to any more taxes until the government learns fiscal responsibility, and how to effectively get the most bang for my buck.
The gas tax should be raised over a period of many years just as new public transportation will be built over a period of years. All the while, cheap gas will be a thing of the past and more people will think twice about buying gas guzzlers especially when they dont' "need" them.
The argument of what about the poor and those who absolutely need (for now) to us a lot of gas? The truth is the people who are going to use less gasoline are people who are on tighter budgets and those with the highest financial gains to use less gas.
So let's see: your better decision has you living in one of the highest cost cities in the country, with a failed public school system, a crime rate that is out of control, an almost non-existent middle class and what is just now becoming a non-dysfunctional local government (and that could change over night). And you want me to subsidize your ride to work. In theory I agree with public transportation, just don't pick my pocket to pay for it. Like I said, raise the fares to where the ridership is paying 90% and that becomes more attractive for me. And not everyone sees the virtue of living in the cultural Mecca of DC, or any other city. So from my view I have made the better decision.
The real estate cost is high because people recognize that Washington is a great place to live and are moving into the city at record rates. Being a little ahead of my time, I live quite cheaply based upon a house I bought twenty years ago.
Our public school system is a disaster, but there are private and religious schools available. Furthermore the Metropolitan Washington area is part of Metro and has some of the best public schools in the country.
The crime rate is comparable to most big cities. I've lived here 25 years and never been robbed, mugged, or assaulted.
The city has a AAA bond rating and has been financially sound for over a decade.
Finally we have a world class mass transit system that the federal government pays about 1/2 of because we are doing the right thing.
You want to live somewhere off mass transit lines, you're going to have to pay more for that decision.
The real estate cost is high because people recognize that Washington is a great place to live and are moving into the city at record rates. Being a little ahead of my time, I live quite cheaply based upon a house I bought twenty years ago.
Our public school system is a disaster, but there are private and religious schools available. Furthermore the Metropolitan Washington area is part of Metro and has some of the best public schools in the country.
The crime rate is comparable to most big cities. I've lived here 25 years and never been robbed, mugged, or assaulted.
The city has a AAA bond rating and has been financially sound for over a decade.
Finally we have a world class mass transit system that the federal government pays about 1/2 of because we are doing the right thing.
You want to live somewhere off mass transit lines, you're going to have to pay more for that decision.
And if you want to live on mass transit lines pay the true cost, don't tell me that I have to help you pay for your decision.
How's the private school deal working out for the 85% or so of DC families that can't afford it?
You're obviously an "urban pioneer", good for you. Will you live to see the success or just more neighborhoods priced out of reach of DC natives?
Prince Georges County has a triple A rating too. Tell that to the County employees getting a two week furlough, or the teachers who are going to get one.
The real estate cost is high because people recognize that Washington is a great place to live and are moving into the city at record rates. Being a little ahead of my time, I live quite cheaply based upon a house I bought twenty years ago.
Our public school system is a disaster, but there are private and religious schools available. Furthermore the Metropolitan Washington area is part of Metro and has some of the best public schools in the country.
The crime rate is comparable to most big cities. I've lived here 25 years and never been robbed, mugged, or assaulted.
The city has a AAA bond rating and has been financially sound for over a decade.
Finally we have a world class mass transit system that the federal government pays about 1/2 of because we are doing the right thing.
You want to live somewhere off mass transit lines, you're going to have to pay more for that decision.
"The real estate cost is high because people recognize that Washington is a great place to live and are moving into the city at record rates."
Just like mass transit, the people with your very high average incomes are mostly government related jobs subsidized by those of us in fly-over country.
"Our public school system is a disaster, but there are private and religious schools available."
Now there's a real Chamber of Commerce selling point - Don't worry about the quality of services we are supposed to get, you can always pay for nanny and other private luxury with our political, high paying jobs.
"The crime rate is comparable to most big cities."
That makes it good? What about life outside of big cities? It's bad because only the unwashed live there?
The city has a AAA bond rating and has been financially sound for over a decade.
Again, the money that flows there is from elsewhere.
Finally we have a world class mass transit system that the federal government pays about 1/2 of because we are doing the right thing.
You lecture us on what is the "right", i.e., PC, thing to do?
Typical elite eastern babble.
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