Submitted by PurpleSubtlePlan t3_10xqusl in newhampshire
megagem t1_j7udh90 wrote
Reply to comment by KrissaKray in Want passenger rail in Manchester? Make your voice heard by PurpleSubtlePlan
If we're getting rid of things that don't directly pay for themselves, driving is first on the chopping block by a very wide margin.
KrissaKray t1_j7udww8 wrote
Can you please elaborate?
megagem t1_j7uea8x wrote
Driving is the most heavily subsidized mode of transportation. Logically it needs to be the first to go.
KrissaKray t1_j7ufbs2 wrote
How is it subsidized, I mean?
megagem t1_j7ugo25 wrote
Drivers don't pay for it, so clearly someone else does. Not the negative externalities of the pollution they're responsible for, not the wear and tear on the roads and infrastructure (beyond a laughable token amount), not the cost of parking for free on public land, etc.
If we want to make driving profitable, we need to massively raise the gas tax for the pollution, implement an annual fee based on miles traveled and weight to cover all road and auto infrastructure costs (including those currently paid for by the Federal Government), use congestion pricing, deploy automated traffic enforcement cameras, and ensure that all vehicles parked on public property pay the prevailing market price for that footprint of land.
I always get a chuckle out of the lack of self-awareness when people talk about a rail option not paying for itself. Even if the ticket price is a loss, moving someone from a car to the train is a net gain because driving is a much larger loss.
KrissaKray t1_j7uj9w0 wrote
Literally everyone who use the roads pay for them. According to multiple sources, the roads are paid for with: Gas tax (state AND Fed), tolls, registration fees etc. If you don't drive, you don't ultimately pay for those things.
The rail line? This will NOT be paid for with JUST rail line users' funds.
SgtToastie t1_j7ur3gp wrote
Your source literally says that the roads aren't self funded and rely on at least $144 million in federal subsidies. That's not "paying for itself".
FY2023 report states say Transportation costs are at $680,627,309. Our dedicated intake from highways tolls, car reg, and other miscellaneous funds is $432,055,480. After that federal highway funding that'd leave around $104 million coming out the general tax funds each year. How did you reach the conclusion that it's self funded from that?
KrissaKray t1_j7urfoq wrote
Didddddd you know gas taxes aren’t just state?
SgtToastie t1_j7usfyr wrote
If you want to try analyzing the Federal Highway Trust Fund and show the match between the inlays to NH and the outlays over the various fuel taxes be my guest, you still haven't addressed the nearly $100 million deficit. Kinda weird you ignore that part completely.
AdditionalAioli6394 t1_j7usxuo wrote
When was the last time the federal gas tax was raised? It's long past due.
deadliftothersup t1_j7wpvs4 wrote
Over 25 years ago and it's a hard coded number, not based on inflation, so every year national gas tax has contributed less to maintaining roads. Also local roads are far more heavily funded via property taxes. Gas taxes, federal and state don't come close to paying for themselves.
megagem t1_j7utagt wrote
In addition to the other response by SgtToastie, this STILL doesn't take into consideration the costs of pollution, congestion, or condemning valuable land to uneconomic parking.
Every single person that complains about the cost of the train is a driver that loses their minds at the idea of actually paying for the full cost of their car.
sirspidermonkey t1_j7v4esj wrote
Least we not forget cars are one of the most deadly forms of transportation per mile traveled. In terms of externalities that's huge.
deadliftothersup t1_j7wpzgg wrote
While simultaneously bitching about traffic they're stuck in no less
Berneraccountbuddy t1_j7x1wbx wrote
You're arguing with idiots.
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