Americans Trapped By High Gas Prices : TreeHugger

Americans Trapped By High Gas Prices : TreeHugger: ""We're locking ourselves in, and it becomes almost a downward spiral," he says, noting that people are paying for gas by cutting other spending. "Significant numbers of people told us they're cutting back on food," says Lisa Margonelli, the foundation's director of energy policy."

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Streetsblog.net » The Scandalously High Cost of Shortchanging Transit

The cost for this one highway interchange in Wisconsin: $1.7 billion. Sorta makes intercity rail operating costs look paltry, doesn't it? Photo: Irdinc.com

Streetsblog.net » The Scandalously High Cost of Shortchanging Transit: "But it turns out that having a transportation system based entirely on automobile travel isn’t exactly cheap. Now, instead of reaping savings, Wisconsin is drowning in highway bills."

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Bus riders forced to subsidize carbon emissions

Opponents of public transit often (describe) tax support for transit as a "subsidy" and (argue that) bus and train riders should pay all costs. But in the five-year period studied, state aid to transit systems accounted for less than 6% of the $10.2 billion that the state spent on transportation, the study found. And while drivers pay just 17% of the cost of local roads, according to the study, bus riders paid almost 29% of transit costs in 2010, the Wisconsin Urban and Rural Transit Association says.
So who's subsidizing who? And these are just the hard costs. The study couldn't take into account the savings in greenhouse gasses and other pollutants, as well as the reduction in reliance on foreign sources of fossil fuels. ISTHMUS

Tax the Rich

occupymilwaukee

Governor Koch-puppet wants you to get a car and burn gas

Cuts in transit could add to poverty levels in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper: "The recently released study drew concern from county supervisors. County Executive Chris Abele and the supervisors blame Madison for the bus system’s plight. Following the recommendation of Gov. Scott Walker, the Legislature cut aid to transit systems statewide by 10 percent in the 2011-13 state budget. That will be a $6.8 million cut for Milwaukee County next year, partly offset by $1.45 million in new aid for Transit Plus service for disabled and elderly riders. Together with other revenue shortfalls and rising expenses, the transit system is facing a $15 million budget hole for 2012."

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Want jobs? Then we need transit | Fresh Energy

Want jobs? Then we need transit | Fresh Energy: "In other words, if you do not have a car, those jobs are out of reach. If you do have a car, that will become the only option for you to get to work, equaling more fuel consumed, more road wear, more expense for the worker."

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