Metro rides get huge tax breaks too. The total subsidy from local government to metro is about $500M a year, which works out to over $2/ride subsidy to metro riders. That's a $1000 break to anyone who uses metro to get to and from work 5 days a week.
z | 03.10.08 - 10:12 am | #

fair point.

an even better point -- why is it the business of government to subsidize one method of transportation over the other. i never take public transportation, why should it by my responsibility to pay for those users?
Rob | Homepage | 03.10.08 - 11:01 am | #

I take public transportation, and my work pays for it because it is cheaper than paying for a parking spot in the adjacent garage. The nice utility is that I am able to take public transportation outside of work with the monthly pass for free. Almost makes up for the heinous service and taxation necessary to support public transportation here in LA.

There are myriad unseen advantages and disadvantages to taxation, and that is one of the major reasons that government should limit their involvement in "public" spending--if there is a market for something, people will supply the goods or services desired at a price that others will pay. The unintended consequences work themselves out when people as a whole revalue the situation. When government gets involved, they need to justify their expenditure to keep paying for the program--it doesn't matter if it satisfies the value necessary to be a viable good or service.
Area Man | 03.10.08 - 11:36 am | #

When I visited my brother a few years ago, I was shocked to see that he had gotten an SUV. I was all set to give him a bunch of shit over it until I realized that his work commute is a whopping 5 minutes.
Like most people around here, I'm in my car for at least an hour a day just getting to work and back. I could be driving a Honda Insight and I would still be burning more gas than he does.
mk | 03.10.08 - 3:28 pm | #

You have know idea about the issue you are talking about you say that there is no tax break for those who use public transit or walk to work that is completely untrue, those people get a huge tax break everytime tax season comes around, and those who get the credit for buying hybrid vehicles, because they might be helping the enviroment but they still have to pay for it. hybrids are usally more expensive then normal fuel dependent cars so they tax credit make that investment not sting as bad. I that the only issue their is, is how confusion the government makes it for those of us who have hybrids to actually get the tax credity for it
clint | 04.07.08 - 10:58 am | #