please Ed
you have people here, you included it seems who believe we'd all still be driving on dirt roads if not for the federal government.
I don't think we'd be driving on roads at all were it not for a government to be honest.
And I daresay that no one traveled too fast in 1919. And was that time solely the drive time or does it include stops for speeches and piss breaks?
It was a military convoy. The averaged 6 MPH on mostly dirt roads. Their vehicles could have averaged 30 MPH on decent roads back then.
I'd have no problem if the exorbitant amount of taxes I pay on gasoline in my state stayed in my state to actually fix the roads.
Depending on what state you're in you're either getting more benefits back from those taxes or less. Here in Maine I expect that we're getting more, thanks to the people in places like California and New York who pay more than they get back.
But instead it goes to super corrupt projects like the big dig, or some other graft and nepotism laden federal government project guaranteed to cost twice as much as estimated.
Yes, government corruption is always a problem of governments, no doubt about that.
Personally I'd rather pay a quarter every time I hopped on the highway than to pay endless taxes that never seem to go where the government says the money will go.
Oh? We've migrated from a specific issue of public roads to the more general issue of government have we?
Why?
Because you know damned well that sans public infra structure it wouldn't work, perhaps?
The problem is that there is absolutely no accounting for where the money goes.
Total libertarian blather.
Let's see exactly how much money was collected in gas taxes and let's see where every dime was spent. If these taxes are supposed to be specifically for roads then just "show me the fucking money" and where it goes.
Your wish is my command, amigo.
Department of Transportation
Highway Trust Fund
Consolidated Balance Sheet
As of September 30, 2006
(Dollars in Thousands)
Assets:Intragovernmental:Fund Balance with Treasury$ 4,431,555 Investments10,997,655 Accounts Receivable30,536 Advances and Prepayments (Note 3)72,364 Total Intragovernmental15,532,110 Accounts Receivable8,028 General Property, Plant and Equipment, Net (Note 2)101,070 Advances and Prepayments (Note 3)118,982 Total Assets$ 15,760,190 Liabilities:Intragovernmental:Accounts Payable$ 40,438 Other (Note 6)112,096 Total Intragovernmental152,534 Accounts Payable71,945 Federal Employee Benefits (Note 5)11,974 Grant Liability3,556,098 Other (Note 6)96,049 Total Liabilities (Note 4)3,888,600 Net Position:Cumulative Results of Operations - Earmarked Funds11,871,590 Total Liabilities and Net Position$ 15,760,190
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.