Schwarzenegger Proposal On Toll Freeways Should Be Rejected
It's always been obvious to people who thought about it that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was no Californian. He has that old European mentality. He sides with the special interests. He is against the free spirits of California. Now, he confirms it for all to see, when he comes out against the freeways. He with his fellow hater of the public interest, the crypto-fascist Susan Kennedy.
Now, rather than build more freeways, the governor is proposing to build toll lanes on the freeways.
This proposal alone is enough for his reelection bid to be rejected.
The toll roads would not be restricted to trucks on the Long Beach Freeway or to a freeway in the Bay Area. Once this pernicious idea gets rolling, we'll all be paying to drive on all the highways and the California the governor and his friends want, the one for the rich only, will be with us forever.
Schwarzenegger does not have good ideas. Growing up in a Nazi family, he has played fast and loose with ethical government, taken money from the fitness magazines while signing their legislation and running against the labor unions, and appointed the creature from the deep lagoon, the utilities' woman on the PUC, as his chief of staff..
How long does this have to go on before we know he is public enemy number one?
When we think about it, we know it already, and the people ought to contact their legislators and tell them, no more. No more to such cheezy ideas. No more to toll roads. No more to Republicans who love only the rich. No more to sleazy European ideas or to defenders of Southern California Edison and PG&E on the PUC.
Getting rid of Schwarzenegger is number one priority for this year.
Now, rather than build more freeways, the governor is proposing to build toll lanes on the freeways.
This proposal alone is enough for his reelection bid to be rejected.
The toll roads would not be restricted to trucks on the Long Beach Freeway or to a freeway in the Bay Area. Once this pernicious idea gets rolling, we'll all be paying to drive on all the highways and the California the governor and his friends want, the one for the rich only, will be with us forever.
Schwarzenegger does not have good ideas. Growing up in a Nazi family, he has played fast and loose with ethical government, taken money from the fitness magazines while signing their legislation and running against the labor unions, and appointed the creature from the deep lagoon, the utilities' woman on the PUC, as his chief of staff..
How long does this have to go on before we know he is public enemy number one?
When we think about it, we know it already, and the people ought to contact their legislators and tell them, no more. No more to such cheezy ideas. No more to toll roads. No more to Republicans who love only the rich. No more to sleazy European ideas or to defenders of Southern California Edison and PG&E on the PUC.
Getting rid of Schwarzenegger is number one priority for this year.
posted by Ken Reich at 8:15 AM
3 Comments:
Ken - It was pleasing to be in agreement with you for a change. The toll roads are an outrageous example of corruption and waste. I seem to recall the one in OC went something like:
1. Acquire land with gov. subsidy & questionable methods.
2. Loose money and complain the public freeway is siphoning off paying customers - sue for subsidy & damages.
3. Sell toll road back to gov. at wildly inflated price based on phony revenue growth study.
4. Plan new toll road and repeat steps 1-3.
However, you once again drive off the toll road into paranoia when you invoke the Nazi explanation for actions you don’t agree with. Do you really believe this, or are you just trying to see if anyone is reading your blog?
Come on man, lets see some proof for this smear. What's next? Are you going to tell us Schwarzenegger’s work with the special Olympics is really a stealth program to reconstitute the Hitler Youth? Get a grip man.
Lawrence
Toll roads are an idea well worth considering. For many decades, driving and, especially, parking have been grossly underpriced, with motorists themselves only paying a fraction of the direct and indirect costs associated with driving. Gas taxes pay less than half the costs of building and maintaining roads, with sales taxes and other local taxes picking up the bulk of the remainder. Furthermore, motorists are not directly charged for the enormous health and environmental costs they impose upon society. Just to give one small example, the state spends about $120 million annually on Medical reimbursements for hospitals who treat people hit by cars while walking or bicycling. Perhaps we should add an obesity or asthma tax to the price we pay at the pump.
Toll roads require motorists who use roadways to pay for the facilities they use. Reducing subsidies for driving would make other transportation options more competitive. Granted, a significant government effort to bring charges for driving in line with costs would represent a departure from longstanding pro-motorist public policies. Still, comparing the quality of life in European cities that have reined-in excessive car use to our dysfunctional auto-dominated urban forms, one sees the need to consider new transportation strategies. Of course we must not prevent poorer workers from using our transportation system to access jobs. Yet, it would seem possible to "get the price right" while addressing equity concerns.
Lawrence,
You forgot one step:
Make secret, and possibly illegal, backroom deal with CalTrans so that no improvements are made east of the toll lanes, basically screwing Corona and increasing smog levels. It's like watching "Blazing Saddles," but it isn't funny.
Bob
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