> Perhaps the other nations are adding in the tax to counter the true social
> cost, beyond simply maintaining roads.
"True" social cost? Isn't that notoriously difficult to calculate? OK, so
the soccer mom decides she can no longer afford to take her child to
practice, and isn't about to carpool unless Billy's mom kicks in her
'contribution' towards paying this true social cost. So much for team
sports.

> (OK, yes they're
> paying it in taxes, but if they're getting a tangible benefit back. . . .)
Which is, of course, an if. If Europeans had to pay the material costs of
rail, would this road subsidy then be less, and less attractive?

> Yet, no one expects our ROADS to be profitable.
Again, difficult to calculate. Do we use tier pricing? What part of this
subsidy do I pay, as a wage-earner driving two-seater (30 MPG), versus a
truck hauling goods and using deisel? What about our commuter busses, at
least some of which run on either propane or natural gas? Now those hybrid
cars are looking better!

> If they were, tolls for use of the U.S.
> Interstate System from Columbus, Ohio to Orlando, Florida could be several
> hundred dollars, making an train ticket to Disney World look very
appealing.
Do I get a discount if I'm only taking the kids to visit grandma, who
happens to have retired to Florida?

> It's all a trade off.
I count on government to get this wrong (and I live in an area with less
than model mass transportation). I also count on those with the greatest
financial interest to find a way to beat the system, or work it to their
advantage, and to lobby for a system which works better for them. I also
expect such a scheme to be something of a boon to the airline industry.

Greg Stigers
this space for rent

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