Do You Know Where Your Transporation Dollars Are Going?
The Washington Post’s editorial page editor, Fred Hiatt, wrote an op-ed last Monday, and suggests that congestion has a “bumpy road,” but concludes that “road pricing is inevitable” although it “won’t be a panacea.” While conservatives seem to like it, liberals seem to be of two minds, as Hiatt writes:
“Liberals focusing on climate change and smart growth tend to love road pricing. But liberals focusing on social inequities tend to believe that high-income taxpayers should pay for public amenities that are available to everyone.”
Enter Norm Leahy, writing at Tertium Quids. He notes that while congestion pricing “is an important tool . . . (in) addressing congestion,” he also writes:
“(I)f all one wants to do is shovel more money into a transportation system without first setting measurable goals and creating a list of congestion-easing priorities, let alone determining where current funds are being spent, it's little wonder there might not be anything left for maintenance. Details, details...
“Hiatt notes that there are political difficulties to overcome with tolls, particularly on long-existing (and long paid for) routes. But he also shows that not all tolls are used, or are intended to be used, for the benefit of the motorists who pay them. And not surprisingly, the comment that shows this comes from Arlington County Board member Chris Zimmerman (who, presumably with a straight face, calls himself an economist):
"I personally don't agree that the roads should be free," he added. "We should be subsidizing mass transit, which has all kinds of benefits, as opposed to roads, which have all kinds of costs."
“There's a reason why Arlington has often been compared to a People's Republic.
“Taxpayers already provide enormous subsidies to mass transit systems, sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars per rider. Ought we to pour even more money into such schemes? Zimmerman believes so. It makes me wonder if he's aware that gas tax money -- which is supposed to be used to maintain and build roads -- is poured into such subsidies. Perhaps he does (after all, he is a member of that galaxy-sized black hole called Metro).”
Believe Leahy! One of the taxes approved by four of the five grandees on the Arlington County Board during their meeting yesterday was a $0.125 real estate additional tax on commercial and industrial property for transportation initiatives (agenda item 27G, April 19, 2008 meeting). None of it will be used to relieve traffic congestion, but will be used for mass transit projects. And guess who is going to pay most if not all of that so-called “additional tax?”
Bookmark Tertium Quids so you can read about important "center-right" events as well as the wise observations of the pundits blogging there.