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December 23, 2012

More Math

Hamilton, Ontario is the latest jurisdiction to want to revoke free bus passes for blind riders.
The city budget is $253 million
Of that, $103 million is for roads
41%
Blind Hamiltonians, not driving private vehicles, derive only secondary benefits:

  • they use taxis, which use the roads
  • Their goods come on trucks, which use the roads
  • They take buses, which use the roads

In the US, 84% of traffic volume is from private vehicles
So blind Hamiltonians benefit from the remaining 16% of the traffic budget
A fair trade for the loss of free bus passes would be a reduction in the taxes they pay for roads they do not use.
84% of 41% is 34%
If the city of Hamilton rebates the property taxes of current pass holders by 34%, I'd say that was a fair bargain.
Merry Christmas, Hamilton!
Gus Reed

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