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Government claims Caltrain is well run--for the rich at the expense of the poor.
"“Everyone says it’s ironic, because it really is one of the best-performing transit agencies in the whole Bay Area, but it’s the one potentially in the most trouble because we lack any dedicated funding,” said Yoriko Kishimoto, a Palo Alto councilmember and Friends of Caltrain organizer."
Who actually pays for this train and the 40,000 that use it? You do. Government money: "The system relies heavily on support from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and transit agencies in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties to help cover its costs each year. However, with California transit agencies struggling across the board, those contributions have been slashed."
Now they want to raise taxes and fees: "Despite political difficulties in the past, Kishimoto hopes “the time has come” to raise the gas tax. She thinks a Bay Area-wide one-cent increase approved by voters in November 2012 would be the most realistic option to substantially bolster Caltrain’s reliable revenue. The 1.3 billion gallons of gas sold every year in the three counties served by Caltrain alone would bring in $13 million, almost half of the current deficit, she said.
Additionally, a tri-county payroll tax of just $20 per year could bring in $35 million, well over this year’s entire deficit, according to Kishimoto. She also thinks congestion pricing and high-occupancy toll lanes are “seriously worth considering.”"
Better idea--sell it to a private firm, end the tax dollars subsidizing the rich. Instead, they knee jerk reaction is to raise taxes and steal more money from families.
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"“Everyone says it’s ironic, because it really is one of the best-performing transit agencies in the whole Bay Area, but it’s the one potentially in the most trouble because we lack any dedicated funding,” said Yoriko Kishimoto, a Palo Alto councilmember and Friends of Caltrain organizer."
Who actually pays for this train and the 40,000 that use it? You do. Government money: "The system relies heavily on support from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and transit agencies in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties to help cover its costs each year. However, with California transit agencies struggling across the board, those contributions have been slashed."
Now they want to raise taxes and fees: "Despite political difficulties in the past, Kishimoto hopes “the time has come” to raise the gas tax. She thinks a Bay Area-wide one-cent increase approved by voters in November 2012 would be the most realistic option to substantially bolster Caltrain’s reliable revenue. The 1.3 billion gallons of gas sold every year in the three counties served by Caltrain alone would bring in $13 million, almost half of the current deficit, she said.
Additionally, a tri-county payroll tax of just $20 per year could bring in $35 million, well over this year’s entire deficit, according to Kishimoto. She also thinks congestion pricing and high-occupancy toll lanes are “seriously worth considering.”"
Better idea--sell it to a private firm, end the tax dollars subsidizing the rich. Instead, they knee jerk reaction is to raise taxes and steal more money from families.
More...