After working on the series "State of Repair," it seems to me the nation is really coming to a crossroads on how it views and funds expansion of "infrastructure." Infrastructure, in general, are those large-scale public works projects that benefit the greater community. The crossroads is whether to pay for such projects using tax dollars, or to pay for those projects through user fees or tolls.
Already, the federal government has moved away from using tax dollars to fund wastewater treatment systems for cities and counties, after spending heavily through grants for such projects in the late 1960s and 1970s. Cities and counties now pay for such improvements through increased user fees. In many cities, calls by politicians to boost gasoline taxes have largely been rejected by voters, in part because voters haven't had a great deal of trust that the money collected from the gas taxes will actually be spent on improving local highways.
Another trend is the use of toll-paid "hot lanes." "Hot lanes" are segregated lanes, with barriers and gates, that run on the same "free" interstates and highways drivers already use. But in this case, the user of a "hot lane" has to pay a toll to enter or exit, and in turn is guaranteed a faster, less congested drive to his or her destination, compared to the users of the more heavily congested "free" lanes right next door.
So, taxes or tolls? It seems, this is the central question that will determine the future of America's infrastructure assets.
So, which strategy do you favor?
Comments
User fees or tolls are another way for the wealthy and businesses to avoid pay taxes. By using general funds for building the interstate highway system, electrical lines, drinking and wastewater treatment, and education, America was transformed into the most prosperous nation on earth with the highest level of living standards. Using general funds was equitable and good for the entire country. Since that time, republicans have had a goal of no taxes, a switch to user taxes, and privatization. America has been on a downward slope ever since.
What a shame our thinking is so narrow. Most congestion is either caused or intensified by bad driving, whether through ignorance or inattention. We need to get serious about driver training; we can provide continuing driver education FREE. We need to insist that slower drivers yield the passing lanes to faster traffic which serves the slower traffic by clearing the highway faster for them.
We still view driving as they did at the turn of the century before the previous one!
Driving is a core part of American freedom and our economy. We have to share the available lanes and use them efficiently. There are a lot of drivers who should not be allowed on interstates without more training. We kill more people on the roads than the Terrorists kill in Iraq. Why don't we take this subject seriously?