Scott en Aztl‡n
You have something to back that up? The cost to park in a pay garage in a mojor downtow area does not mean that free street parking in Mayberry is worth $30 a day. My commute involves a train and two cars. But I park on private property - no taxpayer subsidy.
The amount of subsidy per mile for driving includes all that. And don't forget that the driver-car owner is the one paying. For example - the California Highway Patrol is fund primarily by vehicle registration fees (not the VLF). The vehicle license fee (VLF), which is the 'property tax' portion of your registration bill each year is a sunstantial portion of local tax revenue that pays for roads and police patrols. And don't forget that local police do a hell of a lot more than traffic enforcement so there is nothing wrong with funding them from local property, sales, and income taxes.
Lets not forget that there are lot of people screaming that car and gas taxes are not being used to maintain and build roads. Because it's true. So in reality - drivers-car owners are subsidizing other things. Including public transportation -
In the bay area I pay $3 to cross toll bridges ($5 on the Golden Gate). What is that money for? Part of it pays for the bridges - but a substantial part is routed directly to public transit subsidies. That's no secret.
For some 40 years sales tax in the Bay Area as included a half percent that goes to support BART. That is sales tax on everything from toilet paper and Big Macs to refrigerators and cars. BART needs that even though over 300,000 fare paying riders take those trains everyday. Those 300,000 people are not paying anywhere near what it cost to run the trains. You and your fellow pbuttengers are not paying anywhere near what it cost to run the Metrolink, nor am I paying the real cost on the Capitol Corridor.
No, I am sorry Scott, you are wrong on this. Pbuttenger train subsidies per pbuttenger mile are exponentially larger than for cars. The most dyed in the wool pbuttenger rail activist can't argue any differently - They simply argue that it's worth it, and that it would be cheaper if everyone rode a train.
It's a self serving position, but I think some subsidy is worth it for regional commuter rail. I think most pbuttengers should pay more of their share to reduce the subsidy, but commuter rail (when it's used) has an economic benefit - the vast majority of the people riding are going to work.
The subsidies that need to be end are for those boondogles like the Sunset Limited that runs between LA and Florida. Good grief! The subsidy on that dog is about $700 per pbuttenger! For what? So Grandma can pay $200 (thats just for coach seat - a sleeper cabin would push a $1000) for a two day ride to see her darling grandkids? Southwest Airlines can get grandma across the country in half a day for the same price - and they're making a profit!
