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> The increased taxes would be cheaper than ... that's probably true overall, but it matters where the benefits flow to and where the taxes flow from. in LA,

> The increased taxes would be cheaper than ... that's probably true overall, but it matters where the benefits flow to and where the taxes flow from. in LA, how are we going to increase taxes on car travel enough to reduce car trips to the point where deaths and pollution are noticeably reduced and then redirect those new tax revenues to improving public transport? what politician or government leader can deliver that message and actually succeed? one of the first political realities that leader will discover is that the increased taxes must not be levied on working poor drivers. (most of them still need to drive their cars because public transport is not everywhere yet.) there will be a lot of complaints. and such taxes could actually increase levels of poverty because some poor workers won't be able to get to their jobs in their cars anymore. such a leader would be demonized for hurting low income people. that means the leader will have to propose an even greater tax hike on the middle and upper classes. well that's a hard fight too. those people vote. they fund campaigns. they also do not use the public transport systems as much as other income groups.

magduf 8y ago
>that means the leader will have to propose an even greater tax hike on the middle and upper classes. well that's a hard fight too. those people vote. they fund campaigns. they also do not use the public transport systems as much as other income groups. So basically, there's no realistic solution at all, and that society is headed for an inevitable collapse because of its own shortsightedness. Every nation gets the government it deserves, and this case is no different.
- HillaryBriss 8y ago
  i wouldn't say collapse, just that the status quo is surprisingly durable. there won't be a significant improvement in quality of experience for LA's public transit riders. the existing local political processes seem insufficient. i've seen it play out this way for a long time. but i believe an externally imposed shock (e.g. oil rising to $5000/barrel or a deep local economic depression) might accomplish what local politics cannot

magduf 8y ago

>that means the leader will have to propose an even greater tax hike on the middle and upper classes. well that's a hard fight too. those people vote. they fund campaigns. they also do not use the public transport systems as much as other income groups. So basically, there's no realistic solution at all, and that society is headed for an inevitable collapse because of its own shortsightedness. Every nation gets the government it deserves, and this case is no different.

HillaryBriss 8y ago
i wouldn't say collapse, just that the status quo is surprisingly durable. there won't be a significant improvement in quality of experience for LA's public transit riders. the existing local political processes seem insufficient. i've seen it play out this way for a long time. but i believe an externally imposed shock (e.g. oil rising to $5000/barrel or a deep local economic depression) might accomplish what local politics cannot