The same corporations that also pay state taxes to support such public transportation? Seems like it's the gov't doing the double-dipping here.
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Apple, Google Shuttles to Pay to Use Public Bus Stops in San Francisco
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The same corporations that also pay state taxes to support such public transportation? Seems like it's the gov't doing the double-dipping here.
What corporations are really paying any meaningful amount of taxes these days, if any at all?
I'm sorry to burst your corporate-love-bubble.
But so suggest that governments are greedy is the most ironic statement of the day.
At least the government spends all its money. Apple site on $120,000,000,000.00 and continually increases its cash pile.
Corporations are the definition of greed, period.
These bus stop usage fees are illogical and counterproductive, if not a measly drop in the bucket revenue-wise.
They make no sense, and can only be construed as a cheap-shot taxgrab the SFMTA thinks it can get away with, in light of some local resentment towards these well paid Silicon Valley employees.
They make no sense, and can only be construed as a cheap-shot taxgrab the SFMTA thinks it can get away with, in light of some local resentment towards these well paid Silicon Valley employees.
One of Economic Professors put it this way (I'm paraphrasing):
"Americans want everyone else to use public transportation so the roads become less congested."
I think this about sums up the problem here.
Are you serious?
Exactly! plus, if a private corporation wants to offer private/public transport to its employees, it only debilitates the public transport system by ultimately taking away users from it, hurting us all.... but those users and corporations still expect the system to be there at their disposal the rest of the time. So they can't have it both ways if we want a sustainable public transportations system for all. They have the money for it, so don't sweat it... and if they do, go do their stops somewhere else... my guess is that it wouldn't be free either.
"By allowing their employees to live in SF"?? Where do you live - China? How does a company have any non-contractual authority to demand where a civilian employee lives or doesn't live? Why would it even care as long as they can get to work on time. And Apple's talent pool is the entire world so I don't really understand your point at all.
Um...
The government doesn't have any of "its" money. It spends all of MY money that it TAKES from me to REDISTRIBUTE to others it deems more worthy. The only money that corporations have is the PROFIT that they keep after I CHOOSE to spend MY money buying a product or service that they manufacture and/or sell.
I do use public transportation though...? I would like it if everyone else started using it, too?
People (on the right) always seem to forget what the functions of government actually are. Yes, government transfers SOME tax revenue to those in poverty. however, government also takes care of the following:
- Interstate Freeways: Maintenance, Expansion, etc....
- Schools, School Buses.....etc....
- Public Libraries
- National Defense
- Police, Fire, Paramedics
- Consumer Protection
- Local/National Parks
- Social Security
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Power Grid
- Infrastructure in general
- and the list goes on and on and on..........
- etc......
- etc......
It's easy to think that all the taxes get taken from you and given to someone else. This is totally incorrect. In face, the vast majority of tax revenue gets spent on public goods; goods that are there for the public to use, i.e. freeways, infrastructure, defense, police departments....etc...
You can argue that you want less taxes, and you can even make a valid argument. However, you (and the millions who think like you) need to realize where government actually spends it's money. Especially local taxes (sales/state) provide services that even you benefit from. But of course, some people just hate the government and everything associated with the government because they're told to do so. Think outside the box and realize that government is not this mystical evil creature that will take away all your rights and possessions.
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I use it too and so does my professor. He's not advocating this type of behavior. He's just saying (his opinion) that most Americans would prefer everyone else to use it so they can drive their cars on the now less congested freeways.
The only form of public transport that I would consider using is a taxi.
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About half of your list is giving money to others!
I have forgotten nothing, my dear friend. There is so much wrong with your reply that I could write a thesis. I don't have time this morning, though, as I must get ready to go to work and pay for the government's overreach.
But I will touch on a few things. First, many of the items on your list are specifically things that the government should NOT be involved with. Such as "Social Security" Medicaid and Medicare. They're all perfect examples of what a mess the government can make out of things.
When you discuss National Parks, etc. were you aware that the government puts the revenues from those parks into the general fund and uses it for other programs, leaving the parks underfunded, when their own revenues would be self-supporting?
And, BTW, the government does not maintain the power grid...
I kinda hate the idea of raising prices even in an already expensive area of SF.
I think the best solution is to just 86 the shuttle bus system. Make the google and apple people use the public transport system *gasp*
It seems like the companies and the employees are double dipping. living in a what once was lower income areas that in turn jack up the the rent prices. using free private transport. it is a big "F U" to everyone in the area. adding insult to injury. I can completely sympathize with the locals and I'm not even a bleeding heart liberal
I think the best solution is to just 86 the shuttle bus system. Make the google and apple people use the public transport system *gasp*
It seems like the companies and the employees are double dipping. living in a what once was lower income areas that in turn jack up the the rent prices. using free private transport. it is a big "F U" to everyone in the area. adding insult to injury. I can completely sympathize with the locals and I'm not even a bleeding heart liberal
Why? I realize that bus and subway routes and schedules don't cover everyone's needs, but it seems they should cover most people's needs while substantially reducing the amount of traffic on the road. Heck, if everyone was using them, they could increase the number of routes and the frequency of departures, so they'd start suiting peoples needs even better.
From time to time I have to drive to the city, IE, because I need to bring something larger than I can stow on the bus. It's always a mix of tediously long stretches of nothing with periodic traffic jams, then a freaking nightmare finding parking in the city. Why would you ever want to deal with all that BS when you could pay less to just take public transportation and be able to entertain yourself or work during your commute?
I suppose taxis are better than driving yourself in some ways, but they're ridiculously expensive...
I agree with you here. The money that is collected though is said to be spent on basic oversight. When they say the money "will be used to cover enforcement of the program and evaluations on its efficiency" all I hear is the money won't do jack for the city. I don't see how the fee will ease tension so much as it seems to create more tension. I don't think this is government greed but I do think they money could be spent to improve on public transit for these "ordinary" people the article mentions.
The 25 US Corporations that Pay The Highest Taxes
When comparing the numbers, keep in mind that the tax amounts are totals paid by these multi-national companies to all governments. It wasn't necessarily paid to the US government.
The Forbes article was written in 2013. Here's a more recent one, with a smaller list:
Companies Paying the Most Taxes
In the United States, corporate income taxes are projected to account for 11% of federal revenue in 2014:
Federal Revenue: Where Does the Money Come From
That is the most loopy comment I've read in awhile.
But still, I don't see a problem with corps paying a bit to use public space. This usage is not covered under other taxes, whether some of you approve or not. This private bus using public bus stops is not an intended use, so writing a specific new rule/law about it makes sense. The debate should be over the amount. I don't really have an opinion about that.
Are these systems well run? No. I totally agree with you there. But seeing as how my first child would have died OR I would have had to declare bankrupcy at the age of 23 without Medicaid, I feel slightly obligated to disagree with the idea that the government shouldnt be involved in these areas.
Do people in the bay area really want to give more incentive for these big tech companies -- that contribute huge amounts of money to the community -- to leave? This area promotes ride-sharing/saving the environment more than many others, and to me it sounds like they're hypocrites. And I get it, the wealth gap is now bigger than ever, but this isn't a solution to that problem.