Tag: fuel tax

The Future of Tax – What about Transport?

A couple of days ago the Tax Working Group released their report - The Future of Tax. Most of the media coverage has focussed on the capital gains part of it. Don't worry - I have no intention of going into any that here. Also Greater Auckland did a piece on a wee part that … Continue reading The Future of Tax – What about Transport? →

Socially Optimal Solutions

Congestion is a problem of bad economics, not bad engineering. I've heard this said a few times and I think it's worth repeating. Another way of putting this is that our current economic framework does not result in a "socially optimal solution". Economists define a "socially optimal solution" as "the optimal distribution of resources in … Continue reading Socially Optimal Solutions →

Funding transport projects outside of Auckland – there is a problem

This post first appeared on the TraNZport blog and is republished with permission. I read this morning in the paper (Dominion Post) that the Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) package of transport projects, due to be announced late last year, is still stalled in the water over funding issues. This illustrates a problem that I … Continue reading Funding transport projects outside of Auckland – there is a problem →