Comments on: West Seattle Transportation Coalition: Why they’re backing potential ballot measure ‘with caveats’; other hot topics https://westseattleblog.com/2014/02/west-seattle-transportation-coalition-why-theyre-backing-potential-ballot-measure-with-caveats-other-hot-topics/ West Seattle news, 24/7 Sat, 15 Feb 2014 00:11:25 +0000 hourly 1 By: Colin Ware https://westseattleblog.com/2014/02/west-seattle-transportation-coalition-why-theyre-backing-potential-ballot-measure-with-caveats-other-hot-topics/#comment-1237815 Fri, 14 Feb 2014 21:05:25 +0000 https://westseattleblog.com/?p=264724#comment-1237815 The problem in a nutshell is that if we, as a society, are truly committed to more bikers and transit riders and fewer car drivers, then we have not made driving expensive or painful enough to make drivers think rationally about quitting.

Instead, we have adopted the politically expedient, and in the end doubling damaging policy of increasing the pain of driving (more traffic) without offering a realistic alternative (reduced public transit service).

Like Amsterdam’s bike culture? It didn’t just happen. The country in the 1950s and 60s, in the face of rising affluence and gridlock, decided that to make driving so painfully expensive that people would welcome other forms of transportation. BUT, what they did as part of that deal, was invest heavilly in biking infrastructure and public transit. And it worked.

We refuse to act with courage and instead, just play around the periphery without ever addressing the real issue – we subsidize driving way too much and invest in alternatives far too little. This is a policy that is destructive and ends up hurting everyone. (And, I would be one of those impacted – I need my car for work – and I fully support greater taxes on driving…)

]]> By: redblack https://westseattleblog.com/2014/02/west-seattle-transportation-coalition-why-theyre-backing-potential-ballot-measure-with-caveats-other-hot-topics/#comment-1236902 Fri, 14 Feb 2014 04:56:48 +0000 https://westseattleblog.com/?p=264724#comment-1236902 how about an MVET that taxes vehicles based on curb weight and fuel consumption? in other words, “from those with means to those without.”
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the $30 car tab initiative was suicidal and short-sighted, and it has contributed to our county and state’s bankruptcy.
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the simple fact is that single-occupancy cars are the most destructive force on our pavement. licensing fees contribute very little to maintenance of roads, let alone transit improvements.
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it’s high time that the people who benefit the most from our roads start contributing respectively to their maintenance – and to funding alternate transportation modes that are far less destructive to roads and far more contributory to the relief of traffic congestion.

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