6 replies to this topic

[Shortpoet-GTD]

So, you want to do the right thing and take the bus, the subway or the train.
It's better for the environment, let's you save the money you'd otherwise spend
on car payments, insurance, gas and upkeep.
Sounds reasonable huh?
Well, not if you're our lawmakers.
Now, they're cutting tax breaks (deductions) for taking mass transit and you guessed it,
they're giving them to car owners instead.
"Gee, let's pollute some more" seems to be their credo. ARGH!

"Until early 2009, however, workers who parked got to set aside roughly twice as much as
people who took public transportation. And now, due to our representatives’ fear of making anything permanent or convenient in the tax code, the parity of the last couple of years is scheduled to evaporate on Dec. 31.
After that, unless legislators manage to patch the rules once more, parkers will get to set
aside $240 a month in 2012, while mass transit riders will be allowed just $125.
The point of the tax break ($230.00) was to encourage the use of public transportation."

http://www.nytimes.c...?pagewanted=all

It's bass ackwards.

[artistry]

So do you think their 12% approval rating or whatever it is at the moment, is justified? The helpful Taxation Committee is on its toes, to help make matters worse if they can. They are working their will.

[gangandealer]

What? I would`ve though that they would do it the other way around. Sure the get short term money if people drive cars. But if people use mass transit, then it creates more jobs and the government makes more money.

[mariaandrea]

I've worked at some fairly progressive companies, in a city with traffic problems, and none of the companies I worked for offered that benefit. It would have been nice. Like the article pointed out, mass transit right now is only a big deal in some cities. A lot of the country isn't on board with what goes on in NYC or SF and people live in places where it's hard to pay for mass transit based on the population. No one is going to ride a bus in Wyoming. Even here in Seattle, we almost had our buses drastically reduced and only saved it this year by upping the car tab fee. Again. Fares have gone up so much that unless you're going downtown where parking is scarce and expensive, it's actually cheaper to drive. It seems to me that if they lowered fares more people would ride the bus and increased ridership would pay for the difference in fares.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

artistry, on 02 January 2012 - 08:29 PM, said:

So do you think their 12% approval rating or whatever it is at the moment, is justified? The helpful Taxation Committee is on its toes, to help make matters worse if they can. They are working their will.

Those stats by the media is a typo. Actually, it's -12% approval.

[zararina]

Should really be more on mass transit or public transportation since it would also solve heavy traffic on some countries just like here. Although we have so many public transportation vehicles, private vehicles are also increasing that increases pollution too. More companies if will provide bus service for their employers could also help lessen the need to use for own vehicles since it will save them money and better for the environment.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

Electric trains-trolly's powered from solar/wind!
(OWS-add that to your list.)