[Mpls] Re: Urban Archipellago, and all that...

[Tim Bonham]

But Dan, you DON'T pay for the roads you drive on.  The Dept. of 
Transportation obtains 2/3rds of it's funds directly from the general state 
fund.  Only 1/3rd is paid for by the fuel taxes, etc.

In addition, lots of highway related costs are hidden elsewhere in the 
budgets.  For example, the Mpls Fire Department answers more calls relating 
to injuries in auto accidents than they do fires.  Is this ever included as 
a 'transit' cost in anyones budget?  A good share of the costs of the Pigs 
Eye sewage treatment plant is dealing with the volume of run-off from the 
paved streets built for cars.  Is that counted as a 'transit' cost?

This is a common misconception of auto drivers -- they truly think they pay 
their own way.   And there are whole industries out there that don't want 
this myth shattered.

Tim Bonham, Ward 12, Standish-Ericsson

>I don't ask the state to pay my insurance, or make my car payments. I pay 
>for the transportation I use. I pay for the roads that I drive on through 
>vehicle registration and fuel taxes. Why are transit users any different?
>...
>Dan McGrath
>Longfellow