From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!hansen
Newsgroups: net.politics
Title: Re: gas tax
Article-I.D.: hplabs.1042
Posted: Mon Dec 13 17:25:45 1982
Received: Tue Dec 14 08:18:40 1982

I for one would prefer to have the "use tax" be representative of
the damage done to the roads, even if it makes trucking more expensive.
As Kieth said, either way, you pay for it, but a fair application of
the tax would encourage alternate transportation, such as water,
rail, ...blimp... all of which are hurting because they do not enjoy
the "tax" advantage that the trucking industry does.

In fact, I believe one can factually support the view that it was
a shift in government incentives and disincentives that caused
the US to virtually abandon rail transport in favor of truck and
automobile transport, rather than technical merit or technological
"advance."  If it were not for these incentives, we would have
less trucking, faster transportation, less inner-city pollution,
and we wouldn't be using a transportation system that uses
more space in my company's parking lot than I get in my office.

I for one would prefer to have a larger office.  Wouldn't you?

mpy sgtsof yp dohm ,u ms,r.
Craig Hansen/HP Labs