Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Hey, CARTA (the regional transit buses) will have a very tough time over the next year...if they exist at all. The SC Supreme Court struck down the referendum that called for an increase in the sales tax based on the wording of the ballot. I have several problems with both their reasoning and solutions for the future.
What's this? An alleged conservative disagreeing with a Supreme Court that stopped a tax increase? Are you crazy Greg? You support a tax increase? What kind of conservative are you?
1.
Background: The referendum was worded badly, yes. Here's the actual wording...
All qualified electors desiring to vote in favor of the traffic congestion relief, safe roads, and clean water sales tax for the stated purposes shall vote "YES."
All qualified electors opposed to the traffic congestion relief, safe roads, and clean water sales tax for the stated purposes shall vote "NO."
The Supreme Court said the wording was such that it may have led some people to vote for it that otherwise would oppose it. I disagree. I shudder to think that we have people that dumb that vote...to me, it's no different than liberals arguing that people in Florida were misled on who to vote for because they couldn't follow an arrow or fully punch a hole in a card. Big mistake to go in this direction if you ask me...but the Supreme Court took the bait (just as they did in Florida). It's hypocritical for conservatives to argue this point.
2.
Fix #1 for CARTA. Very easy. LOWER the fares...not RAISE them as some are calling for to help CARTA. Howard Chapman, who is the director of CARTA said himself last year when they raised fares 33%...they DID NOT get a 33% increase in revenue. That's why you don't increase revenue all the time when you raise taxes. You increase revenue by LOWERING taxes. If a fare to ride a bus is a tax, and I say it is, then you lower the fare to generate more riders who might otherwise skip the bus and walk. By making it cheaper, more people might figure..."Hey, why not take the bus, it's only 50-cents?" Like any business...have a sale.
3.
Fix #2 for CARTA. Another easy decision. Allow advertising on the buses. They currently do not allow advertising. Howard Chapman (who apparently doesn't understand much of anything) said they already have advertising on the side of buses...I asked what...he said they advertise CARTA. Wow...lame. Put billboard space on the sides and rear of each bus, have companies (including Radio) pay to put their ad on the side...you could essentially pay for the whole bus system with this simple fix. I even offered a 100-percent trade of advertising on our station...he gives me ad space...I give him ad space. Very simple.
4.
An alleged fix for the whole thing. People are talking about toll booths on the new Cooper River bridge. Dumb. Show me a toll road or toll bridge that is making enough profit that funds what is needed to be funded here...1.2-billion over 25-years. All I see from toll road stories is more of what we've experienced with CARTA. Complaints about wages from employees hired (by the government) to run the booths; How they keep raising the toll fees; Revenue complaints by the government and a host of other problems. Why are people advocating funding CARTA with another CARTA?
5.
Summary. I just hope that people learn their lesson in this whole debacle. People bitch, complain, moan, and swear they're going to do something about it...yet, they go in that voting booth...and with a shaky hand...keep pulling the lever for the same kind of crap they always get.
Have a nice day!
What's this? An alleged conservative disagreeing with a Supreme Court that stopped a tax increase? Are you crazy Greg? You support a tax increase? What kind of conservative are you?
1.
Background: The referendum was worded badly, yes. Here's the actual wording...
All qualified electors desiring to vote in favor of the traffic congestion relief, safe roads, and clean water sales tax for the stated purposes shall vote "YES."
All qualified electors opposed to the traffic congestion relief, safe roads, and clean water sales tax for the stated purposes shall vote "NO."
The Supreme Court said the wording was such that it may have led some people to vote for it that otherwise would oppose it. I disagree. I shudder to think that we have people that dumb that vote...to me, it's no different than liberals arguing that people in Florida were misled on who to vote for because they couldn't follow an arrow or fully punch a hole in a card. Big mistake to go in this direction if you ask me...but the Supreme Court took the bait (just as they did in Florida). It's hypocritical for conservatives to argue this point.
2.
Fix #1 for CARTA. Very easy. LOWER the fares...not RAISE them as some are calling for to help CARTA. Howard Chapman, who is the director of CARTA said himself last year when they raised fares 33%...they DID NOT get a 33% increase in revenue. That's why you don't increase revenue all the time when you raise taxes. You increase revenue by LOWERING taxes. If a fare to ride a bus is a tax, and I say it is, then you lower the fare to generate more riders who might otherwise skip the bus and walk. By making it cheaper, more people might figure..."Hey, why not take the bus, it's only 50-cents?" Like any business...have a sale.
3.
Fix #2 for CARTA. Another easy decision. Allow advertising on the buses. They currently do not allow advertising. Howard Chapman (who apparently doesn't understand much of anything) said they already have advertising on the side of buses...I asked what...he said they advertise CARTA. Wow...lame. Put billboard space on the sides and rear of each bus, have companies (including Radio) pay to put their ad on the side...you could essentially pay for the whole bus system with this simple fix. I even offered a 100-percent trade of advertising on our station...he gives me ad space...I give him ad space. Very simple.
4.
An alleged fix for the whole thing. People are talking about toll booths on the new Cooper River bridge. Dumb. Show me a toll road or toll bridge that is making enough profit that funds what is needed to be funded here...1.2-billion over 25-years. All I see from toll road stories is more of what we've experienced with CARTA. Complaints about wages from employees hired (by the government) to run the booths; How they keep raising the toll fees; Revenue complaints by the government and a host of other problems. Why are people advocating funding CARTA with another CARTA?
5.
Summary. I just hope that people learn their lesson in this whole debacle. People bitch, complain, moan, and swear they're going to do something about it...yet, they go in that voting booth...and with a shaky hand...keep pulling the lever for the same kind of crap they always get.
Have a nice day!
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