122. Prop One

Local transit depends on sales tax revenue: 0.6% (out of the total 9.5%), which is 6 cents for every $10 retail purchase.  Prop One would increase it to 0.9%.  So almost a 10% sales tax; sounds hefty, but there is no state income tax and no sales tax on groceries.

Last year a similar request failed at the polls, requiring reduction of services to outlying areas of the county.  These areas opted out of the transit system, further reducing revenue. If Prop One fails, all weekend and evening (after 7pm) service would be eliminated, further reducing fares, and so on.  It's call a death spiral.

Opposing Prop One?  Just the local Chamber of Commerce.  The county Republican Party has yet to take a stand.

121: Long-Range Green Commuting

I recently had to spend a couple of weekends in a city about 200 miles a way.  Two of us traveled there by car; I figure per passenger $20 for gas and $17 for fixed and maintenance costs (not including depreciation and other "soft" costs).  So $37.  And five hours since we timed it to hit rush hours for three cities and a large military base.

Coming back, I took Amtrack for $46, 3.5 hours, on time beginning and end. Walked the 3.5 miles home in 75 minutes (mostly uphill with short stops along the way for a pizza by the slice joint and later for a milkshake at Dick's, thereby removing any health advantage I might have gained by walking).

Returning the next weekend, jogging (I thought I was late) to the 3.5 miles to the BOLT bus stop, with just a $26 fare, and a 3 hour travel time (though a 30 minute late start), and notably less comfortable than the train.

Next time?  Driving a car that gets 40 mpg hiway instead of 20 would bring the car cost to $27, comparable to the bus.  But when including environmental factors, Amtrak wins. The respective CO2 emissions (in kg per mile) for gas-driven car, bus, and rail are 0.44, 0.3, and 0.16.  Hybrids or all-electrics could change this but probably not by a factor of 3.