"Free public transport isn't free! It's paid for by taxes!"

It's interesting how nobody seems to mind paying taxes for otherwise free to use roads, but when it comes to public transport or affordable healthcare, people act like it could never work and it's the worst idea ever if it were theoretically possible. 🤷

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BlueVeins · 26-30

I've always been somewhat split on this. On one hand, public transit fares kinda are a regressive tax and disproportionately fall on low income folks. On the other hand, I think you'd have to look far and wide to find a public transit system that wouldn't be better served by using that same funding to secure service. And public transit funding tends to be a scarce resource.

I guess to a large extent, it just depends how much belief you have in your local government, to adequately raise the funding from income taxes.

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NerdyPotato ·

@BlueVeins adequate public funding fixes both the disproportionality of costs and ability to secure service, so I don't quite understand how that's a "on one hand, on the other hand" thing. Trust in your government (local, state and federal) to do something useful with your taxes is of course important though, and understandably low with what taxes are currently spent on. And one more thing: property taxes are more effective than income taxes to raise funds and decrease wealth inequality.

NerdyPotato ·

@whowasthatmaskedman true, but a good transit system also attracts more people as @BlueVeins accurately pointed out. You can start with transit or people to eventually get both.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@NerdyPotato I agree with both of you. Japan is by far the best example. Having short travel between large densely populated cities. And a lot of destruction in war that allowed a clean redesgn in a way many places didnt😷

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

FYI. My state is declaring all public transport free for the duration of this Trump related Oil crisis. Obviously to encourage use and save some fuel. How much will it help?? No idea. But the point is that our politicians are making an effort. In another announcement national, the excise on fuel is to be cut by 50%, to reduce the impact on the motorists $..😷

PicturesOfABetterTomorrow · 41-45, M

The way I see it people can complain about it as soon as they reimburse the government for 12 years of education. Than they can make their point.

NerdyPotato ·

@PicturesOfABetterTomorrow education is another great example of what could be "free" if people demanded that instead of fighting it.

badminton · 61-69, MVIP

People react that way to public transit or universal healthcare because of corporate propaganda. They want us all forced to use only cars for transport. They want us all forced to use only private health insurance, which is only about making profits.

Picklebobble2 · 61-69, M

It's the 'con' i don't understand.

They're all happy constantly paying into schemes and then discovering they're not covered for certain things once the bill is due, yet continue to put up with it.

NerdyPotato ·

@Picklebobble2 that's a problem with for profit insurance indeed.

FeetAreFantastic · 41-45, MVIP

It may indeed work but its naive to call it free. Public services are never free.

anythingoes477 · 31-35, M

@FeetAreFantastic You can always disconnect your water, sewer, stop driving, home school your kids, quit going to parks.....refuse mail service.......if you are tired of the taxes you pay giving you something back.

NerdyPotato ·

@FeetAreFantastic maybe we need a new term to split upkeep and usage.

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