This newspaper has been advocating the use of congestion pricing for several years now. (See, e.g., “This HOT Idea Cound Resolve the Congestion Conundrum,” July 23, 2002, about the use of high-occupancy toll—HOT—lanes.)

It’s nice to see the rest of the country is catching up.

As the USA Today story notes:

The average driver in the Los Angeles area spends the equivalent of more than two workweeks each year stuck in traffic. But one place where cars and trucks hum along at full speed is in the left lanes of a 10-mile stretch of State Road 91, an east-west highway in Orange County.

That’s because those lanes use a toll system known as “congestion pricing.” Tolls on SR 91 vary depending on time of day, from $1.15 to $9.25, and are priced to keep traffic moving.

Road space is finite, and always will be. There are only two ways to ration finite goods: lines and prices. Take your pick.

With lines we are all equal, rich and poor alike.

With prices the rich will be able to avoid lines.

Unfortunatly we will probably have both lines and prices.

Hope this is not too much off-topic, but London’s congestion pricing has a higher purpose:

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/006205.html

a climate change action plan that aims to reduce London’s emissions by 60% from 1990 levels, by 2025.

My point is that we need tax total reform.
Total reform on how government spends.

Until then I will oppose any new tax increase or any new form of tax.

We need to put pressure on government waste.

Make our leaders look inside of their own offices for places to save money just like any American household or private business does.

For too long now they could just run to the politicians and get more money, more money without being held accountable.
Our local news media has let us down in this area.

Where else in the world does anyone operating on a budget have an unlimited supply of cash that isnt tied directly to results?

Some user fees are less obvious.
Some key findings in a report by RNCOS for the National Association of Convenience Stores:

“Higher prices of gasoline are a subject of repugnance not only for the customers, but the convenience store retailers are also finding it as a challenge. Since, the increased prices are badly affecting their profit margins. The main reason behind the continuous decline in profit margins is that costs, especially credit-card fees, seem to continue to escalate relentlessly.

A study that was completed by “National Association of Convenience Stores”, in February 2007, for the stores selling gasoline and accepting plastic reveals that credit-card fees had cost an average of US$ 45,785 in the year 2005. The figure actually eclipsed the average per store pre taxing revenues of US$ 42,196 in the same year. Credit/debit fees totaled about US$ 5.4 Billion on an industry wide basis.

Most people prefer to make payment by plastic as the prices of gasoline increase. This may be either because they don’t carry cash (or probably they don’t want to spend it) or because they attempt to avoid the immediate pain of paying higher prices. As credit card billing system gives them some time to pay up the money.

Use of plastic money at pumps increased with the constant rise in average annual prices of gas, which grew from US$ 1.85 in 2004 to US$ 2.27 in 2005. The enormous increase in the prices of gasoline during the year 2005 has accelerated this trend. NACS consumer statistics show that about 65% consumers today prefer to pay their gasoline prices via credit cards.”

Sorry, unexpected guest dropped in.

Some people say they shouldnt be paying such high transportation taxs just so Northern Va and Norfolk can use it all.

Richmond should drop some of those social programs and make productive employees out of them, instead being career welfare recipients.

User tax on anything except food or heating oil would be a fair tax.

At this point there is so much waste in government that I just oppose any tax until I se true reform and responsibility.

I can name many abuses, but its too late for me.
Maybe tomorrow if you are even interested.

Good night all!

What taxes would you consider fair and necessary that should be levied by the state, Rick? Just curious. One of my concerns is the high real estate taxes that might cost people on fixed incomes their homes. Do you know if there is monthly payment plan available to them. Seniors on Social Security will be hard hit.

I don’t see how Richmond could make it without federal and state aid for necessary social programs.  They have a much higher concentration of people who need help to survive.

The government raises more than enough money for infrastructure.
Its all of these social programs that are putting an undue burden on the system.
The transportation budget should stay in the general fund and the social programs need to be put of into a seperate fund so that the localitys who have the most problems with poverty can carry their own burden for these services.
Now that would be fair!

Our government has had 2 billion dollars of our earnings sitting in surplus for 2 yrs now.
WHY?
Only so Warner could leave office and be applauded for taxing and not spending.

I can not think of any reason for our government to take more money than it can spend.

I certainly cant think of any reason to raise taxs when they have that much in surplus.
More taxs will only amount to more government waste.
Theonly thing governments do really well.

Food tax is an example of an immoral punitive tax.

You said as much on several discusions, Larry, but if I was wrong, I apoligize. No, the toll would not stop the poor from working or driving. It would just make the Hamberger Helper a more frequent centerpiece at the dinner table. We’re a tougher bunch than that. Your last statement makes your youth obvious, not your naievity.

Sorry, Rick but I’m not. During my working years, I did not begrudge paying taxes to keep my world going round. I needed roads, schools, police, fire, yes, even politicians to make sure it all worked right. Taxes are not punitive, they are necessary. I don’t wish to see the mess we would be in without them. But some are excessive, and deliverately raising a tax to cut down on congestion is one I would call punitive only for the poor who could not afford the higher rate. They are ones who would be eliminated from the traffic jam to speed it up. They would be out wasting gas to find a way around it. I like the horse racing idea. It’s painless for the people who pay it and even fun. It would not be enough. But I would rather pay more to register my car, a one time bill for the year than to face horrible tolls every day. Thhis won’t be solved untill the GA gets it through their heads that transportation must have a dedicated source of income that can’t be touched for anything else, and is fair to everyone.

Anybody who allows a stupid toll increase to take complete control of their life and destiny should NOT be allowed to even get a driver’s license!

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