Comments on: LaHood Asks for 18-Month Extension of Four-Year-Old Transpo Law

By: fpteditors

fpteditors — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:08:13 +0000

Don't wait for politicians. Start free public transit in your town now. Cost is 60 basis points of sales tax. Immediate benefits. Hasselt did it. Whidbey Island did it. Changning did it. Zagreb did it. You can too.

By: Kaid Benfield

Kaid Benfield — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:59:28 +0000

This postponement could be a blessing for true transportation reform, given the crowded legislative calendar, the policy-distorting effects of the recession, and the benefits of giving DOT's amazing new team a bit of time to assemble their thoughts (see http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/transportation_secretary_lahoo.html). It is indeed awkward with Oberstar, though. Both he and the adminsitration are on the same side of the substance.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:25:41 +0000

Here's the reality. The only transportation the government is going to be de facto funding on a large scale in the couple of decades is cruise ships.

When the generations that actually had pensions and went through their careers in more favorable economic circumstances has passed, this will be replaced by hearses.

Give me a universal federal health care financing system that ensures the basic health care of the young workers who foot the bill for everyone else. Give my kids something now: they'll be nothing left by the time they are 65.

And just scrap federal transportation spending to help pay for it.

By: bb

bb — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:40:55 +0000

Yea because raising the gas tax is so 1990

By: Mike Lydon

Mike Lydon — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:09:26 +0000

Facing Reality?!

In reality we need an entirely new tube. Not a patch kit.