Saturday, January 15, 2011

How about pay as we GO?

So Governor Bob McDonnell wants to help pay for transportation in NOVA and Hampton Roads by taking General Fund monies from K-12, from public safety (state troopers are already understaffed; ditto for police/deputies in some localities), and from public health. I guess that reflects his priorities - get a transportation merit badge by any means. Beg, borrow, steal?

Transportation should be paid by the users thereof... including those out-of-staters rambling through the commonwealth on I-95 and I-81. Tolls? Maybe. Raising the gas tax? Seems like a user fee is a fair way to go. Raising license fees for those big trucks that put such demands on our road and bridges? Yeah, they should fully pay their way? And while we are at it, shouldn't electric cars have to pay for the roads, too? Maybe we need to rethink the gas tax and move to a taxation per mile plan- that would certainly face potholes in the political road!

Question is... why is the chicken paying for roads by being the fox in the hen house of K-12, of public safety, and of other core state services?

2 comments:

J. Tyler Ballance said...

Taxing per mile is DOA.

Some of our lowest paying jobs involve sub-contractors who deliver goods.

Like tolls, this sort of taxation scheme, punishes those without corporate sponsorship the most.

Infrastructure benefits everyone, and should be paid for out of general funds, fuel and auto taxes.

I would much rather pay an additional 10 cents at the pump, than suffer tolls or have government tracking devices on my car.

As we transition to alternative fuels, it should be relatively easy for our politicians to come up with plenty of new forms of auto energy taxes.

there is no free lunch, but taxation should be in the least intrusive forms and NEVER create a tracking system that intrudes upon our God given right to remain secure in our own persons.

Anonymous said...

Dear Coarse Cracked Corn,


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Barbara