SamuelRSmith said:
Highways: You argue "toll-road" galore as if it would be a bad thing, I am of the opinion that paying for the roads as you use them is a good thing. Densley populated areas suffer because of this "free road" system - putting a price on things puts a limit on demand, which can be used to control congestion. I don't know exactly how highways are funded in the US, so I'll just go on the basis of how it works in the UK. |
How it works in the USA is two fold. The Federal government puts a tax on every gallon of gas that is distributed to the local ares and states on a "need" basis, so long as the states comply to a number of the federal governments demands. (Proper driving age, mandotory insurance laws).
The rest needed for maintence is made up by local taxes on agreed opon rates, and sometimes on levys for important deals needed to be done.
Slowly it's been creeping to the gas tax being a larger and larger share, espiecally as local area's are deciding to actually gravelize some roads they don't get much use out of rather then pay expensive matinence fees. Which generally is the above problem...
not just are people who live in high trafic areas getting screwed, but so are people who get roads through pork barrel "get my state/area" money politics.
Sure the construction companies and public workers get some extra pay... but maitence is left to the city, often for expensive new roads they hardly ever actually use!
