Posted on 11/24/2008 11:39:29 PM PST by CE2949BB
(11-23) 18:07 PST -- The idea of making San Francisco the first city in the nation to combat congestion by imposing a toll on motorists who drive on the local roads is "totally doable" from an administrative standpoint, a top city transportation official deemed.
But clearing the necessary political and public opinion hurdles is another matter altogether.
Charging people more for anything is always a tough sell. Talk about reaching deeper into people's pockets when the economy is in the tank is even more difficult.
"We're going to have to get buy-in," said Jose Luis Moscovich, executive director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority.
It's his agency that, with the help of a $1 million federal grant, has been studying the feasibility of congestion pricing in San Francisco.
The idea will inch forward Tuesday, when the authority's directors - a group made up of the city's 11 elected members of the Board of Supervisors - will be presented with various pricing scenarios and toll-zone locations, and an analysis of the potential benefits and disadvantages.
"Congestion pricing is totally doable in San Francisco," Moscovich said. "There are alternatives that can be implemented with ways to mitigate the impacts."
For example, commercial fleets could pay discounted tolls, and low-income people, residents who live in the toll zones and drivers with certified disabilities could be exempt from paying. Among the other looming policy decisions, if the program proceeds, is how much to charge, where and when.
The goal behind the program is to get people out of their cars, which proponents say would relieve congestion, increase traffic speed and cut carbon emissions.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Next: they’ll tax them just for being alive.
Oh wait.
Fine anyone with the gall to drive in San Francisco!
Do it for the children!
Ah, the shoe drops!
Back to the 19th century! People don't need cars, planes, nice houses. They can get by with what we let them have!
The spirit of socialism waxeth mighty in Gay Bay.
Perhaps a tax on bathhouse hookups could help out. Or a tax on Communists. Maybe a tax on leather clothing and hobnailed boots? A whip tax?
The fertile mind can think up lots of ways to raise money. If money is indeed the goal.
Yeah, just wait long enough, and everyone will forget what they are paying taxes for in the first place, then you can add more taxes for things they are already paying taxes on, such as the fuel taxes for the roads they drive on.... municiple taxes for local roads, etc etc.
Liberalism is a cancer.
If they really want to stop people from driving in SF, why not cancel all the events they drive to, such as leftwing loon “global warming” concerts, Gay day in the park events, football games, baseball games, etc. etc.
Then they can all stay home and save the planet.
The goal behind the program is to get people out of their cars
This country is horrible with public transportation. If the city wants to do something helpful get the tube going like London. You literally can go anywhere in London without a car. Every city in America should use London’s map of a subway system. Why charge people for using a road. To me that is “blaming” citizens for the stupidity of the city planners.
The idea of making San Francisco the first city in the nation to combat congestion by imposing a toll on motorists who drive on the local roads is “totally doable” from an administrative standpoint, a top city transportation official deemed. But clearing the necessary political and public opinion hurdles is another matter altogether
Moscovich said. “There are alternatives that can be implemented with ways to mitigate the impacts.”
Wouldn’t you just like to slap anyone that speaks like this up along side the head?
I mean talk about liberal PC speak.....
For example, commercial fleets could pay discounted tolls, and low-income people, residents who live in the toll zones and drivers with certified disabilities could be exempt from paying
WHY? Are they somehow less responsible for the congestion then others?
Undiagnosed mental illness appears to be a chronic problem among elected officials and public administrators.
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