Roads and taxes

[zitothebrave]

To not divert other threads as well

http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research...local-analysis

Of course you can fund it without income taxes, but get ready for much much more expensive gas.

[sturg33]

Thanks. There are tons of research out there on the ridiculousness of the roads argument. Just like private companies provide energy, electricity, water, telecommunications, airlines, and a whole host of other things... so too could be the case on the roads.

I'd start with Walter Block's book:

http://www.amazon.com/Privatization-...0685539&sr=1-1

But if you're interested in shorter reading material, let me know.

I'll be at a wedding this weekend so will be out of pocket.

[zitothebrave]

So let's talk interstates then.

Imagine what the interstate highway system would look like if it was paid for by say Verizon. Wouldn't it make sense for them to build the highway that benefits them. Wouldn't their interstates all run up to their buildings or their "friendly" businesses. What would be the motivation for them to run a highway to AT&T? And so on so forth. And if Verizon goes under because people stop using landlines and they hate their cellular service and they're not bought out fully, who then keeps the roads up? We all too often see old buildings from companies, shrines to their former opulence. I mean just look at cities like Detroit, Camden, etc. Are we the tax payers supposed to pay for the cleanup of these corporations? Or do we just let it fall to ruin?

[chop2chip]

So let's talk interstates then.

Imagine what the interstate highway system would look like if it was paid for by say Verizon. Wouldn't it make sense for them to build the highway that benefits them. Wouldn't their interstates all run up to their buildings or their "friendly" businesses. What would be the motivation for them to run a highway to AT&T? And so on so forth. And if Verizon goes under because people stop using landlines and they hate their cellular service and they're not bought out fully, who then keeps the roads up? We all too often see old buildings from companies, shrines to their former opulence. I mean just look at cities like Detroit, Camden, etc. Are we the tax payers supposed to pay for the cleanup of these corporations? Or do we just let it fall to ruin?

What you would have would be toll roads. Companies would be incentives to build roads that would generate the most traffic. Companies would build their businesses off of those roads.

[zitothebrave]

And how would residents then gain access to roads? Can you imagine how ****ty it would be to be on a highway that has an exit every mile? I can list a ton of reasons grown with building roads and then building companies off the roads. Though it would be funny seeing businesses getting into battles closing ramps and **** like they're Chris Christie.

[57Brave]

What you would have would be toll roads. Companies would be incentives to build roads that would generate the most traffic. Companies would build their businesses off of those roads.

there is a time honored method of roading. Going back to at least the Romans.

toll roads are the legacy of bandits

[Hawk]

there is a time honored method of roading. Going back to at least the Romans.

toll roads are the legacy of bandits

Roman roads were toll-based.

[57Brave]

Roman roads were toll-based.

saw where it got them !

[Runnin]

In Japan roads were built for the very purpose of collecting taxes. Many of today's train lines still carry the name of the original tax collecting road.