"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.

whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M

@BlueVeins Public Transport does have one other qualifying factor. A relatively large fairly dense population. Without that the investment isnt worth considering..😷

BlueVeins · 26-30

@whowasthatmaskedman Extending out public transit can help create the density that public transit requires. Obviously, that requires a broader policy vision to enact though.

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😷

BlueVeins · 26-30

@NerdyPotato

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.

I don't think any city in America has adequate funding to expand service to the extent that it's needed. Even NYC has areas which are poorly serviced or disconnected. Every transit agency has a finite amount of money and they need to decide on the best possible use of that money, in their present situation.

And one more thing: property taxes are more effective than income taxes to raise funds and decrease wealth inequality.

Could you expound on this point please? I'm not disagreeing, mostly just curious what you mean.

NerdyPotato ·

@BlueVeins in their present situation indeed, because the public keeps fighting the idea of public funding and governments therefore don't provide it. But that's a choice and this post is about considering changing that.

The income vs property tax is probably worth its own post. I'll work on that soon. Maybe not tonight, but this week.