Comments on: National Transportation Funding Is Ailing — Is Michigan ‘Patient Zero’? http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/national-transportation-funding-is-ailing-is-michigan-patient-zero/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:34:00 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Niccolo Machiavelli http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/national-transportation-funding-is-ailing-is-michigan-patient-zero/comment-page-1/#comment-69965 Niccolo Machiavelli Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:54:00 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6386#comment-69965 Todd thinks that "In Michigan's defense, we have been a longtime donor state with respect to federal transportation." This is really part of the ideological domination of the road lobby. Dividing up the states in to "donor" and "receptor" states with regard to gas taxes, largely an exercise in ideological mathematics, is an enormous achievement of the highway lobby. A division of the states between gas-guzzling and gas-efficient states would yield basically the same spreadsheet. Imagine if the income tax was divided the same way, where would NY be, where would be Louisiana? Yet when it comes to income taxes, or any of the other Federal tax structures, no one thinks in terms of Donor and Receptor. The entire construction of donor and receptor really works against the establishment of a generalized reciprocity politics whereby good policies can actually pass. Todd thinks that "In Michigan's defense, we have been a longtime donor state with respect to federal transportation." This is really part of the ideological domination of the road lobby. Dividing up the states in to "donor" and "receptor" states with regard to gas taxes, largely an exercise in ideological mathematics, is an enormous achievement of the highway lobby. A division of the states between gas-guzzling and gas-efficient states would yield basically the same spreadsheet. Imagine if the income tax was divided the same way, where would NY be, where would be Louisiana? Yet when it comes to income taxes, or any of the other Federal tax structures, no one thinks in terms of Donor and Receptor. The entire construction of donor and receptor really works against the establishment of a generalized reciprocity politics whereby good policies can actually pass.

]]> By: Sid Burgess http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/national-transportation-funding-is-ailing-is-michigan-patient-zero/comment-page-1/#comment-69878 Sid Burgess Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:21:59 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6386#comment-69878 I understand Todd, but as a nation we really need to change our thinking on transportation funding. The federal government should not be promoting one form of transit as radically. I hope the best for you guys. I understand Todd, but as a nation we really need to change our thinking on transportation funding. The federal government should not be promoting one form of transit as radically. I hope the best for you guys.

]]> By: Todd Scott http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/national-transportation-funding-is-ailing-is-michigan-patient-zero/comment-page-1/#comment-69872 Todd Scott Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:24:11 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6386#comment-69872 By cost, 20% of those Michigan projects were for new roads or capacity increases. There were not all repairs and reconstruction. In Michigan's defense, we have been a longtime donor state with respect to federal transportation. We've been paying for other people's roads. On top of that, our roads suffer damage from freeze-thaw cycles that many other states' roads do not. By cost, 20% of those Michigan projects were for new roads or capacity increases. There were not all repairs and reconstruction.

In Michigan's defense, we have been a longtime donor state with respect to federal transportation. We've been paying for other people's roads. On top of that, our roads suffer damage from freeze-thaw cycles that many other states' roads do not.

]]> By: Cap'n Transit http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/national-transportation-funding-is-ailing-is-michigan-patient-zero/comment-page-1/#comment-69851 Cap'n Transit Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:56:30 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6386#comment-69851 Are there any road expansion projects they could cancel instead? Fix it first and all, you know? Are there any road expansion projects they could cancel instead? Fix it first and all, you know?

]]> By: vnm http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/10/national-transportation-funding-is-ailing-is-michigan-patient-zero/comment-page-1/#comment-69849 vnm Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:17:22 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6386#comment-69849 Why does the Federal government fund 80% of road projects but only 33% of transit projects???? Why does the Federal government fund 80% of road projects but only 33% of transit projects????

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