ridetarc.org news release:

The TARC Board of Directors today gave tentative approval of a $68 million budget for Fiscal Year 2009 that includes a combination of fare increases and service reductions. The board considered several options for making up a $4 million shortfall resulting from rising gas prices and other costs before giving tentative approval to the budget proposal.

Under the proposed budget reviewed today, the base fare of $1.25 would increase by 10 cents and $1 million in service would be cut. The board recommended considering an increase to 25 cents and reducing the amount service that would be cut. If the fare increases to $1.50, about $500,000 in service cuts would be made.

“We don’t like increasing fares and we don’t like cutting service. It’s not the direction we want to go in,” said TARC Director J. Barry Barker. “But when you don’t have enough revenue, you have to do something.”

CART To REACT,

Developing...

Good editorial at the Washington Post.

[W]e call upon Congress to revisit recently enacted federal mandates requiring the diversion of foodstuffs for production of biofuels. These "food-to-fuel" mandates were meant to move America toward energy independence and mitigate global climate change. But the evidence irrefutably demonstrates that this policy is not delivering on either goal. In fact, it is causing environmental harm and contributing to a growing global food crisis.

Gas tax, in cents per gallon, is starting to come under fire. How are we to maintain our roads if everyone switches to plug-in electric cars? Although this may seem like an absurdly far-off event to worry about, Oregon is already exerimenting with taxing motorists per-mile. That's silly too, since it ads no incentive to conserve gasoline.

I asked "What would a completely fair tax of motor vehicles look like?" Taxing people for the road damage they cause, the carbon & other pollutants they emit, and the threat they pose to others should all be considered. This is the answer I received:

"Robert Zubrin is best known for his daring "Mars Direct" plan, but his most recent book, Energy Victory: Winning the War on Terror by Breaking Free of Oil is set a lot closer to home.  His proposal on solving America's oil addition is simple -- some critics would say too simple.  Here's what Dr. Zubrin has to say."

The interview at Daily Kos is interesting. Basically, he's advocating Congress make all new vehicles sold in the US be required to be flex fuel. While he concedes that American-made corn ethanol is basically a sham, he still sees an opportunity by increasing the number of countries capable to produce motor-vehicle fuel. Who would you rather see get your Ethanol buck?: Iran or Brazil?

What do you think about his analysis?

The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission has provided it's report to Congress.  At my first reading, this report merely looked like a treasure trove of handy quotes endorsing CART's vision.  For example:

"Another Dam" Issue

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• Green Energy Roadshow tours Kentucky
• Mother Anne Lee Dam Online
• Complete Streets bills in Kentucky & Illinois
• TransMilenio Bus Rapid Transit in Bogotá, Colombia
• Wall Street Journal: Oil Officials See Limit Looming on Production
• Bicycle Helmets Stigmatize & Kill?
• Sweden uses Subway Body Heat to Heat Offices