Comments on: The taxi surcharge problem http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/ A New York City Subway Blog Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:51:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60320 Alon Levy Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:41:30 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60320 No, France has about the same debt ratio as the US (pre-stimulus), the same deficit, and substantially lower economic growth. If you want a place with high taxes and a working economy you'll have to go to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland; in that case, you also have to explain what it is that Scandinavia does right that France, Germany, and Italy don't. No, France has about the same debt ratio as the US (pre-stimulus), the same deficit, and substantially lower economic growth. If you want a place with high taxes and a working economy you’ll have to go to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland; in that case, you also have to explain what it is that Scandinavia does right that France, Germany, and Italy don’t.

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60308 rhywun Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:35:15 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60308 Any chance at becoming "more like France" was destroyed by two words: Freedom Fries. Any chance at becoming “more like France” was destroyed by two words: Freedom Fries.

]]> By: Grumblings abound concerning latest funding plan :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60291 Grumblings abound concerning latest funding plan :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:24:12 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60291 [...] « The taxi surcharge problem Apr [...] [...] « The taxi surcharge problem Apr [...]

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60290 Benjamin Kabak Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:14:58 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60290 I agree with that, and I've written about it before. It seems like a political non-starter as well though. I agree with that, and I’ve written about it before. It seems like a political non-starter as well though.

]]> By: Jon http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60289 Jon Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:06:56 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60289 "truth is that infrastructure costs should be born by those who use it. That’s what a tolling plan does." Fair enough but then subway fares should be distance based and no free subway/bus transfers. “truth is that infrastructure costs should be born by those who use it. That’s what a tolling plan does.”

Fair enough but then subway fares should be distance based and no free subway/bus transfers.

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60288 Benjamin Kabak Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:48:53 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60288 Your logic is utterly illogical though. You don't want tolls because, for those rare times when you make trips from the Bronx to the Rockaways via three tolled crossing, you don't to pay. Great, but realistically, who does that? Anyway, in an ideal world, the tolls on the major crossings would all be at Triborough levels, but you try selling that politically and see where it gets you. You can continue to set up unlikely hypotheticals of people who drive around every day crossing multiple bridges every one-way ride, but that's just an excuse for you to be anti-tolling. Your Bronx/Rockaway example is an outlier, not the norm, and the truth is that infrastructure costs should be born by those who use it. That's what a tolling plan does. Your logic is utterly illogical though. You don’t want tolls because, for those rare times when you make trips from the Bronx to the Rockaways via three tolled crossing, you don’t to pay. Great, but realistically, who does that?

Anyway, in an ideal world, the tolls on the major crossings would all be at Triborough levels, but you try selling that politically and see where it gets you.

You can continue to set up unlikely hypotheticals of people who drive around every day crossing multiple bridges every one-way ride, but that’s just an excuse for you to be anti-tolling. Your Bronx/Rockaway example is an outlier, not the norm, and the truth is that infrastructure costs should be born by those who use it. That’s what a tolling plan does.

]]> By: Jon http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60287 Jon Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:38:50 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60287 "Anyway, if the Spuyten Duyvil on the HHP is tolled, so should the Broadway Bridge. It only makes no sense to you because you are falling to understand that the tolls to get into Midtown are higher on the already-tolled crossings. If you choose to drive down Broadway, thus eschewing the 1 train, pay for it." This does not address the flaw in the proposed plan; the toll on the Queensboro and Brooklyn Bridge would be the same as the Broadway Bridge. There is no logic to this and it can not be justified. If every bridge is going to have a toll, the subway fare should become distance based, not a flat fare with free bus transfers. Your logic of paying a toll where there is an exisiting subway line should work both ways. If I have to pay 2 or 3 tolls to get to Rockaway from the Bronx, the subway rider should pay 2 or 3 fares. “Anyway, if the Spuyten Duyvil on the HHP is tolled, so should the Broadway Bridge. It only makes no sense to you because you are falling to understand that the tolls to get into Midtown are higher on the already-tolled crossings. If you choose to drive down Broadway, thus eschewing the 1 train, pay for it.”

This does not address the flaw in the proposed plan; the toll on the Queensboro and Brooklyn Bridge would be the same as the Broadway Bridge. There is no logic to this and it can not be justified.

If every bridge is going to have a toll, the subway fare should become distance based, not a flat fare with free bus transfers.

Your logic of paying a toll where there is an exisiting subway line should work both ways. If I have to pay 2 or 3 tolls to get to Rockaway from the Bronx, the subway rider should pay 2 or 3 fares.

]]> By: Rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60286 Rhywun Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:33:50 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60286 I see. Well, I won't give them any ideas; I'm totally against the idea anyway. Why should taxis be singled out for a double whammy? They pay registration fees too, I presume. Or a triple whammy if you include the payroll tax. I'm beginning to think the payroll tax--and only the payroll tax--is the way to go. If the payroll tax applies to everyone, other forms of nickling and diming are in effect double- and triple-taxing. And none of this "gradation" silliness either. It costs MORE to provide service to the outskirts, not less. I see. Well, I won’t give them any ideas; I’m totally against the idea anyway. Why should taxis be singled out for a double whammy? They pay registration fees too, I presume. Or a triple whammy if you include the payroll tax. I’m beginning to think the payroll tax–and only the payroll tax–is the way to go. If the payroll tax applies to everyone, other forms of nickling and diming are in effect double- and triple-taxing. And none of this “gradation” silliness either. It costs MORE to provide service to the outskirts, not less.

]]> By: Boris http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60285 Boris Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:19:58 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60285 It's still the 1950's in France. Sure, it has its own problems, but it's still a first-world country with high taxes, little debt, and ongoing public works projects. It’s still the 1950′s in France. Sure, it has its own problems, but it’s still a first-world country with high taxes, little debt, and ongoing public works projects.

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/22/the-taxi-surcharge-problem/#comment-60284 Benjamin Kabak Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:39:07 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2737#comment-60284 <em>Bit confused about the difficulty of collecting another $1 on the fare. Didn’t they already win a $0.50 “night surcharge”? I imagine they’ll collect the new $1 in the same manner, i.e. increase all fares by $1.</em> That $0.50 night surcharge goes right into the pockets of the cab driver. That's why there's no collection issue. This would be the first time the city would be collecting fees from cab drivers based on the number of fares they pick up. The record-keeping on that alone may be too overwhelming to justify the costs. Bit confused about the difficulty of collecting another $1 on the fare. Didn’t they already win a $0.50 “night surcharge”? I imagine they’ll collect the new $1 in the same manner, i.e. increase all fares by $1.

That $0.50 night surcharge goes right into the pockets of the cab driver. That’s why there’s no collection issue. This would be the first time the city would be collecting fees from cab drivers based on the number of fares they pick up. The record-keeping on that alone may be too overwhelming to justify the costs.

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