[sustran] More on subsidy-investment terminology.

[JOHN WHITELEGG]

To:  Eric Bruun and everyone else

I like your point about property taxes and user taxes.  It seems to me
that a good starting point is an audit of all cash flows (direct and
indirect, hidden and clear) into providing mobility opportunities.  One
of my interests is the costs of justice.  car use is a mjor area of
criminality throughout the world.  large amounts of tax income have to
be deployed to catch the criminals and process them through the judicial
system.  Not many transit users or pedestrians break speed limits, use
mechanically defective vehicles, exceed emission norms, travel under the
influence of drinks and drugs etc etc.  In England and Wales in 1994
there were 5.3 million findings of guilt after a detected offence and
after processing in the courts (motor vehicle offences only).  My own
estimates  of the cost of the total judicial process is that it is in
the region of œ1-œ2 billion per annum (pounds sterling).  This is an
unplanned, inefficient subsidy to car drivers.

very best wishes

John Whitelegg