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Why would it need to make any money? Look at roads: they cost huge amounts to build and maintain, yet the vast majority don't bring in any direct revenue whats

Why would it need to make any money? Look at roads: they cost huge amounts to build and maintain, yet the vast majority don't bring in any direct revenue whatsoever. Let's turn this statement on its head, and reframe it as a question: why isn't all mass transit free? (Yes, I understand economically why this isn't the case, and I still think it's a worthwhile viewpoint/question to ask.)

houseabsolute 17y ago
Roads aren't free. You pay a toll to the government for their use every time you go to the gas station. And they shouldn't be free, although gas should be taxed additionally for its environmental externalities.
- maigret 17y ago
  I don't know how it is in the US but in Germany taxe revenues can't be bound to their sources, that means the government can (well, have to) spend the oil tax on whatever he wants.
  - houseabsolute 17y ago
    It doesn't matter as long as the amount it costs to maintain the roads is collected in fuel taxes.
- jordanb 17y ago
  Gas taxes pay for the interstates, but they don't cover the local road network in most parts of the country. Road maintenance is a massive part of most municipalities' budgets and it comes from general tax revenue.
  - houseabsolute 17y ago
    And that is truly unfortunate. There should be a tax on gas (mostly) and automobiles that completely pays for roads, and compensating tax cuts should be made against whatever the municipality collects; perhaps property or sales. Above all else I think we can all agree that people should be taxed especially to pay for what they use when it is possible.
- netcan 17y ago
  They are free to use, which is what is relevant to the Gparent post.
  - houseabsolute 17y ago
    Taxes on something directly and irrevocably associated with the use of a resource _is_ a tax on the resource. But someone pointed out that gasoline taxes do not pay for roads in their entirety; the toll basically doesn't cover the expense of maintaining the road.

houseabsolute 17y ago

Roads aren't free. You pay a toll to the government for their use every time you go to the gas station. And they shouldn't be free, although gas should be taxed additionally for its environmental externalities.

maigret 17y ago
I don't know how it is in the US but in Germany taxe revenues can't be bound to their sources, that means the government can (well, have to) spend the oil tax on whatever he wants.
- houseabsolute 17y ago
  It doesn't matter as long as the amount it costs to maintain the roads is collected in fuel taxes.
jordanb 17y ago
Gas taxes pay for the interstates, but they don't cover the local road network in most parts of the country. Road maintenance is a massive part of most municipalities' budgets and it comes from general tax revenue.
- houseabsolute 17y ago
  And that is truly unfortunate. There should be a tax on gas (mostly) and automobiles that completely pays for roads, and compensating tax cuts should be made against whatever the municipality collects; perhaps property or sales. Above all else I think we can all agree that people should be taxed especially to pay for what they use when it is possible.
netcan 17y ago
They are free to use, which is what is relevant to the Gparent post.
- houseabsolute 17y ago
  Taxes on something directly and irrevocably associated with the use of a resource _is_ a tax on the resource. But someone pointed out that gasoline taxes do not pay for roads in their entirety; the toll basically doesn't cover the expense of maintaining the road.