tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3979080978017564010.post3230860191237294685..comments2024-03-27T02:14:39.904-07:00Comments on Inland Empire Transit Talking Points: Correcting the Record and how you can avoid a 91 Express Lanes Toll ViolationA Better Inland Empirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15626446356006938988noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3979080978017564010.post-82003712588418442014-05-13T10:23:46.567-07:002014-05-13T10:23:46.567-07:00Marven: Thank you for the extra fact sheets. Will ...Marven: Thank you for the extra fact sheets. Will take a look.<br /><br />JN: Even with inflation factored in, the feds are still taking in record receipts. The inflation point was addressed here in April:<br />http://ttcinlandempire.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-truth-about-highway-trust-fund.html<br />The dollar lost about 43% of its value between 1992 and today. In 1992, the federal government collected $23.6 billion in fuel taxes, worth $39.8 billion in 2014 dollars. In 2012, the feds collected $42.5 billion from the pump, still a record with inflation. During the 90's, there was plenty of public and private money going around to build up and pay for transportation infrastructure all over Southern California which included LA's return to rail and the introduction of Metro Rapid buses, the Harbor Transitway and its hard lesson not build transit stations within a freeway median, the successful birth of Metrolink, and Orange County's massive freeway and toll road expansions with very limited transit infrastructure other than 2+ HOV lanes. OCTA also phased in late night bus services and owl runs going into 2000. The economy was also very robust back then. Today, we have a similar situation with a big kitty, except the economy is soft. <br /><br />We certainly disagree on a number of topics; the way current government money is spent and HOT lane policies may be a few these. But we both have public blog forums and agree on core matters such as improving the area's mass transit system efficiently and ensuring that RTA is adequately funded. We have to tell Riverside what is happening. The market economy is ticking back up in some areas of the county and we need to hold RCTC and the state accountable to ensure RTA is getting its fair share of the increased generated tax funds so that transit can be improved in the growing areas combined with maximizing bus services in Riverside which includes true RapidLink service with a early morning to late night span. We'll give you the last word.A Better Inland Empirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626446356006938988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3979080978017564010.post-32516724413752554342014-05-09T22:42:35.556-07:002014-05-09T22:42:35.556-07:00Measuring tax receipts in total real numbers, rath...Measuring tax receipts in total real numbers, rather than inflation-adjusted per-capita numbers, is just bad statistics. Because of both inflation and population growth, if you look at real spending, every single type of government spending and every single type of tax revenue will constantly be setting records so long as the population keeps growing.<br /><br />You're right that we have really high construction costs for public works projects-- costs that I'd argue are mostly related to the procurement and bidding process-- but to say that the government is just flush with transport money, and it's only mismanagement that keeps us from having amazing bus service, is inaccurate and dishonest. By any reasonable measure, both DC and Sacramento have been taking in an increasingly small share of gas tax revenue (per-capita, per lane-mile, or per-vehicle-mile-travelled, in real terms), and making that transport dollar go further isn't just a case of eliminating pork and waste. There really aren't enough dollars to go around. I know it's a less rosy headline than yours, but we need to make choices about where we spend increasingly scarce transport dollars (and those choices, I think we'd both agree, should favor transit and active transport over ever more highways).Allie Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388778275254352958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3979080978017564010.post-48773397719785165342014-05-07T08:42:31.853-07:002014-05-07T08:42:31.853-07:00Here are the hard facts that back up record gas ta...Here are the hard facts that back up record gas tax receipts on top of what Marven provided:<br />http://ttcinlandempire.blogspot.com/2014/03/why-inland-empire-transit-system-is-not.html<br /><br />While the gas tax rate has not risen as you've pointed, according to the Census Bureau, the feds are taking in an average of $10-$11 billion in gas taxes per quarter since 2011 nationwide--a record. Federal car tax receipts were $7-8 billion per quarter--another record. That adds up to $68 billion in transportation-related taxes collected per year by the federal government. Record taxes collected.<br /><br />At the state level, according to the California Board of Equalization, the state received just under $7 billion in transportation taxes, a vast majority from the gas pump and just under $1 billion from commercial vehicle weight fees--records.<br /><br />Our "ever-popular American pastime of bashing the government" involves holding those in power accountable of spending such record transportation tax receipts in ways that actually improve our transit systems and infrastructure during a soft market economy. Right now, even with all that money flowing into Washington and Sacramento and the fact that the Inland Empire job market is still flooded in experienced construction workers and engineers who need work are willing to take a smaller salary, our infrastructure is still not where it needs to be. Public works costs are priced much higher than the market rates which obstructs progress. Thus, some built infrastructure is still mired in debt due to inflated costs which forces OCTA into imposing ill-advised and money-centric policies for the Express Lanes, and likewise forces RTA into having a very small budget.A Better Inland Empirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626446356006938988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3979080978017564010.post-812721118686027082014-05-06T19:12:07.672-07:002014-05-06T19:12:07.672-07:00Federal gas tax receipts are way up since the earl...Federal gas tax receipts are way up since the early 90s even with the recession and the decline of the American driver.<br />http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/pubs/hf/pl11028/chapter6.cfm<br />http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Docid=401<br />marvenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16353100816207270847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3979080978017564010.post-23817582658503922992014-05-06T17:17:05.724-07:002014-05-06T17:17:05.724-07:00What record gas tax? The federal gas tax hasn'...What record gas tax? The federal gas tax hasn't been raised since Bill Clinton raised it in 1993. California's gas tax hasn't kept up with inflation, and the 2013 "fuel tax swap"-- which did raise the excise tax-- also lowered the sales tax, meaning you pay the same price.<br /><br />I think that this blog often plays fast and loose with the facts, especially when you can indulge in the ever-popular American pastime of bashing the government.Allie Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08388778275254352958noreply@blogger.com