No Simple Answer for Bus Fare Increase

After reading Henry Chu’s story on bus fare increases (June 18), I developed a solution to the inequities in bus and rail subsidies. Here’s my plan:

Raise gasoline taxes and use that money to subsidize public transportation for those who can’t afford a fare hike. Since gasoline-buyers can afford their own private transportation, they should also be able to afford the increase in gas taxes. Once the gas taxes are high enough so that public transportation is more affordable than driving, a significant number of current drivers will switch to public transportation, resulting in increased revenues for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Continue to increase gasoline taxes until enough people use public transportation to make subsidies unnecessary.

After thinking about my plan for a while, I realize it will never work. Here’s why:

The middle and upper classes, who can afford the convenience of private transportation, can also afford the convenience of political power, since they have both the time and the money to wield political influence. Out of their generosity and concern for workers in the auto and oil industries, they will oppose the increase in gasoline taxes. More significantly, oil companies and car manufacturers, which have the financial resources to make direct and significant contributions to the campaigns of political candidates, will make it difficult for any politician to support my plan.

Oh well. So much for a great plan.

BERNARD B. YOO

Granada Hills