3 ms·

I agree and I think that there are a lot of weird side effects to this (potentially, at least). I live in NYC and go into the office two days a week, which hon

I agree and I think that there are a lot of weird side effects to this (potentially, at least). I live in NYC and go into the office two days a week, which honestly suits my lifestyle just great. But I used to pay for a monthly metrocard, now I pay (much less per month) per ride. Mass transit requires a certain level of ridership in order to be sustainable. In 2023 that subway ridership was at 68% of pre-pandemic levels so not the disastrous drop-off some feared but still a significant drop. Should these trends continue governments are going to have to find some way to equity between lower income workers that must travel to their job and higher income remote workers. Likely taxing the latter, which will be very unpopular.

paulryanrogers 2y ago
> Likely taxing the latter, which will be very unpopular Better civics education should be able to overcome this vieled "fuck you, I got mine" attitude. Richer cities already subsidize rural areas, and rural areas support cities with non-monetary benefits like food. Politicians shouldn't be able to so easily divide us when we need to support each other.
screye 2y ago
That's a false dichotomy. Most urban value is exploited by exurban and suburban population, while paying very little tax towards urban upkeep. Similarly, small up-state cities rely on the central 'bread-winner' city while overwhelmingly voting against QOL improvements for that city in state legislature. Rural areas don't factor in too much. Only in the US can it be acceptable for the city's governing body to live outside city bounds. There is an absence of basic incentive alignment and the outcomes show that. Congestion pricing, limiting free parking, mandating weaker housing restrictions around regional transit, etc. are tried and tested ways for cities to get their due. The cities are at fault too. NYC's insistence on housing 100k+ illegal immigrants in manhattan's 3 star hotels is a self inflicted wound. NYC isn't the worst, but I started making a self-inflicted wound list for west coast cities, then we'd be here for a long time. Honestly, US are badly managed in general. However, produce so much economic value that they're able to brute force their way out of the mismanagement. Knowing history, brute force only goes so far.... edit: replied to the wrong person. This was meant for a child comment. But point still stands.

paulryanrogers 2y ago

> Likely taxing the latter, which will be very unpopular Better civics education should be able to overcome this vieled "fuck you, I got mine" attitude. Richer cities already subsidize rural areas, and rural areas support cities with non-monetary benefits like food. Politicians shouldn't be able to so easily divide us when we need to support each other.

screye 2y ago

That's a false dichotomy. Most urban value is exploited by exurban and suburban population, while paying very little tax towards urban upkeep. Similarly, small up-state cities rely on the central 'bread-winner' city while overwhelmingly voting against QOL improvements for that city in state legislature. Rural areas don't factor in too much. Only in the US can it be acceptable for the city's governing body to live outside city bounds. There is an absence of basic incentive alignment and the outcomes show that. Congestion pricing, limiting free parking, mandating weaker housing restrictions around regional transit, etc. are tried and tested ways for cities to get their due. The cities are at fault too. NYC's insistence on housing 100k+ illegal immigrants in manhattan's 3 star hotels is a self inflicted wound. NYC isn't the worst, but I started making a self-inflicted wound list for west coast cities, then we'd be here for a long time. Honestly, US are badly managed in general. However, produce so much economic value that they're able to brute force their way out of the mismanagement. Knowing history, brute force only goes so far.... edit: replied to the wrong person. This was meant for a child comment. But point still stands.