Business group in favour of motorway tolls

[mashman]

"Auckland Council's Business Advisory Panel says tolls would be the fairest way to meet the vast transport funding shortfall of almost $12 billion."

"Panel chairman Cameron Brewer expects people will complain they've already paid for the motorways."


Haven't they already been paid for? Suck it up and have a nice day

[p.dath]

It sounds a little bit like the wrong term has been used. THis sounds like a congestion tax, especially since they suggest using different rates at different time of the day.

Don't know what I think of it. Everynone is sick of congestion on the motorways. The idea of this is to discourage people using private transport, and to spread out the times when they do use the motorways.

[mashman]

It sounds a little bit like the wrong term has been used. THis sounds like a congestion tax, especially since they suggest using different rates at different time of the day.

Don't know what I think of it. Everynone is sick of congestion on the motorways. The idea of this is to discourage people using private transport, and to spread out the times when they do use the motorways.

I think you're right in regards to it being a congestion tax and no doubt any number of excuses will be used to extract the $$$ from Joe Schmo, but more in line with a user tax (soooo many people, soooo much money, ca ching). I often thought it odd that they had a toll on the bridge crossing the clyde (yes, not here, but Scotlan) where the money used to build it had been paid for by the public and the bridge was put up for the reason of building a bridge and relieving congestion. 6, give or take a year, years ago they removed the toll after some pressure group finally got their way... so I understand it from a maintenance point of view, but then I would have thought that that would have been budgeted for anyway? however, $12 billion, sheehat that's a lot of money for fixing a few potholes... you folk up norf need to drive a little more carefully, you're costing the rest of us a fortune .

[James Deuce]

Symptomatic of a Government that can't grow a big enough pair to charge us the 60% income tax they need to. Honestly, Local Government needs to be disbanded, it's failed, and artificial taxes like these and power prices increasing are just bullshit. Can every levy, fee, GST, toll, rates, water rates, school fees, doctor's bills and raise income tax to cover it. You'll have the same disposable income as you do now. None.

[Madness]

You'll have the same disposable income as you do now. None.

So there's not much chance of a 20% increase to my nil disposable income then?

[Swoop]

I'll take the subway into work then.


Or the integrated bus system that takes ONE type of bus card.

[mashman]

Symptomatic of a Government that can't grow a big enough pair to charge us the 60% income tax they need to. Honestly, Local Government needs to be disbanded, it's failed, and artificial taxes like these and power prices increasing are just bullshit. Can every levy, fee, GST, toll, rates, water rates, school fees, doctor's bills and raise income tax to cover it. You'll have the same disposable income as you do now. None.

Come on, the truth has no part in this thread and you can't just take people's money and give them nothing in return.

[Hitcher]

All forms of government in New Zealand are appallingly bad at asset management. The road as it exists has been paid for. But no provision has been made for its maintenance and upgrade in the future. Once it's munted or too small, people will object about having to shell out another big lump of dosh to put it right again, probably because they think it's already been paid for.

[awa355]

I was told years ago, that the Auckland Harbour Bridge was the first toll bridge in the world, that stopped the tolls after the bridge was paid for. The Tauranga - MT bridge is the only other toll bridge, I know of, to have removed the tolls after it paid for itself. ( I think).

[oldrider]

I was told years ago, that the Auckland Harbour Bridge was the first toll bridge in the world, that stopped the tolls after the bridge was paid for. The Tauranga - MT bridge is the only other toll bridge, I know of, to have removed the tolls after it paid for itself. ( I think).

Christchurch / Lyttleton tunnel count like a bridge? .... Same thing!

[paturoa]

Why not just use ALL of the fuel taxs, fuel duties and levies already collected. Oh and why not all of the RUCs (road user charges) as well.

I doubt if you'd ever find out the size of that lot as most of it goes into the consolidated account, and a significant proportion is then used for polly super-annuation and perks.

[Winston001]

Why not just use ALL of the fuel taxs, fuel duties and levies already collected. Oh and why not all of the RUCs (road user charges) as well.

I doubt if you'd ever find out the size of that lot as most of it goes into the consolidated account...

Yeah I have a funny feeling you are right about that. From memory the 4th Labour Government (Lange et al) said some money went to the Consolidated Fund to cover policing of roads and hospital treatment of road accident victims.

Whatever: no government in the past 30 years has suggested or agreed that all road-related taxes should go exclusively back into roads.

[Robert Taylor]

All forms of government in New Zealand are appallingly bad at asset management. The road as it exists has been paid for. But no provision has been made for its maintenance and upgrade in the future. Once it's munted or too small, people will object about having to shell out another big lump of dosh to put it right again, probably because they think it's already been paid for.

As far as Im concerned the rougher the roads are the better! And we absolutely dont need lily livered pinkos running and taxing things.

[Winston001]

Here's a radical thought - no new motorways in Auckland. That would encourage factories to develop on the city edge where people live. Or - build new plants outside New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. These cities already have good roads, operating ports (), plenty of workers, and existing affordable houses for those who move there.

No new tolls and taxes. Win win.

[RDJ]

Come on, the truth has no part in this thread and you can't just take people's money and give them nothing in return.

That's exactly what large numbers of people want (the government) to do. In the interests of "fairness". and as we have seen, once there are enough people eligible to vote who get more money from the government that they pay into it, they think the fairest thing to do is to (vote a government in that will) take more and more of everybody else's money so they get more for themselves. Democratic Socialism.