[sustran] Jakarta area pricing - equitable or not?

[Obwon]

Eric Bruun wrote:
> 
> I find it interesting that we hear the same arguments in a rich
> country like the US that we hear in much less developed countries.

 I get the impression that people know of or at least can figure the
impact on themselves of various restrictive programs and tend to react
to that perception.  Since all countries have similiar divisions of
incomed (and other distinctions) peoples, it's no surprise that the
arguements are, therefore similar.

 It seems to me that to analyse the complex problems these restrictive
programs will create, we need to first 'collect the terms'; only then
can we effectively attempt to find any means, to achieve any acceptable
balancing, of what is to be 'lost' by the various factions, with
ameliorations.  

  First, let's define the most obvious groups to be affected.

  Using idealized oversimplification we get:

1. I.R. - Idle Rich well to do, with money to 'burn' much of their 
          'enterprise' is optional.

2. M&S - 'Movers and Shakers' upper corp. and business people heavily
          employed and subsidised by their business interests.

3. Mgt -  The management level people who are some what subsidized
          by their business interests, often pressed for time by their
caseloads,
          with enough money to surrmount many hurdles (purchase some
optional
          convieniences.

4. W-1 -  The basic work force, with money to spend on some
optionals/personal
          preference items, company activities largely not subsidized,
but some are.
          The two trip commuter for instance.

5. W-2 -  The 'specialized workforce, whose activities are subsidized
heavily
          including some optional choices, but whose rates of pay
prohibit
          easy access to personal options/personal preference items.

6. T-1 -  Tourist and other transients, not idly rich nor employed, with
some
          money for few options of personal preference.

7. T-2 -  Government functionaries 

8. P-1 -  The poor but gainfully employed.

9. P-2 -  Poor not gainfully employed.

  Okay, there we've hopefully defined much of the expected population
that will use an area under study.  The next task would then be to
quantify the expected resource usages of each group under normal
circumstances.  Then by attempting to judges how the proposed program
will impact the ablity of each group to continue to enjoy it's current
resources, we can define level one impacts.

 L-1a, L-1b,... L-1(x)  Where we consider how each group responds to
various restrictions and pricing activities. Either gaining or loseing
resources. Or how they might be priced or restricted from needed
resources etc.

 At level two we must look at the expectations of each group.  Since
poor largly do not intend to remain poor, they resent 'having the bar
raised' ahead of them even when they, for instance; do not have a car
but would like to and see the future costs of owning and driving one
rising by way of restrictions that wealthier people can deal with most
easily.

 Thus such innovations are seen largely as apparati intended to create
further separations between classes, rather than as traffic attenuations
they are meant to be.  The various other groups will see some losses of
either convienience or needed resources, where salesmen for instance
might find restrictions tolerable but unduly consumptive of valuable
time.

  Once the various impacts, both actual and percived are identified,
then it might be possible to identify what ameliorations can be offered
each group.  For instance, in a for-pay-entry zone, a quantity of free
access 'vouchers' might be issued to those expected to have their
infrequent but needed access replaced or cost raised too high.  

  Any plan that does not address expectations and needs, with an eye
towards some kind of balancing mechanism will draw fire from all sides. 
Such a plan merely infuriates everyone and therefore can not be thought
of as practicably implemetable no matter how ultilitarian it might be in
addressing the main issues in question.

  Obwon