National poll shows support for more money for public transit

Pittsburgh Post Gazette ^ | March 30, 2010 | Jon Schmitz

[Buckeye McFrog]

A majority of Americans supports increased spending on public transit and a slim majority is willing to pay higher taxes for it, according to a poll released today.

[snip]

Some 51 percent expressed support for a "small" tax increase to pay for better public transit, while 46 percent were opposed.

[a fool in paradise]

In Houston, the city refuses internal and extenal ad revenues (something commonly seen on public transportation in other cities).

The revenue is available to fund public transportation, the city refuses it. But it’s driven by the same mindset that required all businesses to put their trash bins behind fences to “beautify” the city.

PS the city raised fares 25%

[WOBBLY BOB]

By “National poll” they meant they asked a baseball team in DC.

[DemonDeac]

Polls usually tend to show that people want less spending and lower taxes in general but poll them on a specific type of spending such as busses, education, etc and they generally say that they want increased spending for that one thing.

[Between the Lines]

I am all for anything that keeps the city folk in the city and out of the countryside. Public transit does that quite well.

[stompk]

“here is an idea. Let the people who ride the bus pay for the bus. All of it, 100% of the actual cost.”

but you use the highway and police departments, hypocrite!

/lib

[stompk]

““and a slim majority is willing to pay higher taxes for it”....”

somewhere out there some dem has legally changed his name to “slim majority” and is making a freaking fortune at the polls.

[sticker]

cookeville?

[jdub]

yep

[sticker]

Figured, what did they do figure how far it was for the students to the Starbucks, it is not that far to downtown is it?

[jdub]

starbucks is down by the interstate. to the center of town from the school is about half a mile. there’s a couple of indy coffee shops in walking distance. one of these days i’m going to get on, count how many riders in an hour then write to the paper about it.

[A_perfect_lady]

I’ve explained why I think it’s beneficial overall. If you don’t agree, c’est la vie. I pay taxes for schools even though I have no children. Even Freepers sometimes cannot homeschool.

[sticker]

I am very familiar with that Starbucks, conveniently located about half way between Gallatin and Knoxville. I also did a lot of work with TTU and Putnam County Schools.

[Maelstorm]

I think public transit is good provided it largely pays for itself and it isn’t used to increase the strength of unions which cause the cost of implementing transit systems to be prohibitive. When I traveled to Edinburgh I enjoyed the mass transit. I hopped a bus to go to the train station and took a train to South Queensferry every day and back again. It was painless and about $5 bucks a day for the buses and maybe $50 total for the week traveling via the train. Much less than I’d have paid for gas had I gotten a rental. I do think a well designed efficient transit system is a boon for a city and nearly all the costs can be recouped directly or indirectly.

I just don’t want mass transit to become the only way I am allowed to get around or be tied permanently to the outrageous demands of leftist unions. Also the key element for me is simple and I apply the same to public schools. If they work and are cost effectively and aren’t used to eliminate my opinions or my personal liberty then I’m happy to have them. However I don’t want a transit system that works like La Public schools. If all the Teachers were like you I’d have to reconsider that thought.