The University is now issuing free Wisconsin voter ID cards at Union South. Any US citizen who has lived at their address for a month by the time of an.

The University is now issuing free The University is now issuing free Wisconsin voter ID cards at Union Wisconsin voter ID cards at Union South.  Any US citizen who has lived at South.  Any US citizen who has lived at their address for a month by the time their address for a month by the time of an election, is eligible to vote in of an election, is eligible to vote in Wisconsin.Wisconsin.

There will be extended hours today There will be extended hours today (September 23, Voter Registration (September 23, Voter Registration Day). Normally they will be issuing Day). Normally they will be issuing cards till. 5:00, but today they will be cards till. 5:00, but today they will be open until 8:00.open until 8:00.

Lecture 7Lecture 7Tuesday, September 23, 2014Tuesday, September 23, 2014

TransportationTransportation

GLOBAL WARMING GLOBAL WARMING

Social processes underlying climate Social processes underlying climate change and obstructing solutionschange and obstructing solutions

1.1.Hyper-consumerismHyper-consumerism

2.2.Collective action failure among governmentsCollective action failure among governments

3.3.Negative externalitiesNegative externalities

4.4.NIMBY movements concerning clean energyNIMBY movements concerning clean energy

5.5.Power and climate denialPower and climate denial

GLOBAL WARMING: Solutions? GLOBAL WARMING: Solutions? 1.1.Dramatically increase the costs of carbon emissions through carbon Dramatically increase the costs of carbon emissions through carbon taxes in various forms (e.g. “cap-and-trade”)taxes in various forms (e.g. “cap-and-trade”)

2.2.Significantly expand Public investment in clean energySignificantly expand Public investment in clean energy

3.3.Massive public funding for research in energy alternativesMassive public funding for research in energy alternatives

4.4.Expansion of public transport. Free public transit?Expansion of public transport. Free public transit?

5.5.Subsidized energy efficiency retrofitting of buildingsSubsidized energy efficiency retrofitting of buildings

6.6.The biggest challenge: Shift towards a society less oriented to ever-The biggest challenge: Shift towards a society less oriented to ever-expanding material consumption. expanding material consumption.

ImplicationImplication

All of these solutions require a All of these solutions require a reinvigorated democratic reinvigorated democratic affirmative stateaffirmative state

Lecture 7Lecture 7Tuesday, September 23Tuesday, September 23

TransportationTransportation

I. Some basic factsI. Some basic facts

% of Urban Trips by type of transportation (2005-9)

Trends in Annual public transit ridership in the U.S., 1900-2010

Annual Per Capital Gas Consumption, 2003

Annual hours of delay per traveler due to traffic congestion

Annual cost of traffic congestion ($billions), 2011

II. Understanding the II. Understanding the ProblemProblem

YOUR CHOICE

BUS PRIVATE CAR

EVERYONE ELSE’SCHOICE

BUS A25 minutes

B10 minutes

PRIVATE CAR

C1.5 hours

D45 minutes

The Public Transportation Free Riding Problem:

Busses vs. Cars

Free-riding preferences: B > A > D > C

Free riding gain: 15 Minutes (A minus B)

“Sucker penalty”: 45 minutes (C minus D)

YOUR CHOICE

RAIL PRIVATE CAR

EVERYONE ELSE’SCHOICE

RAIL A15 minutes

B10 minutes

PRIVATE CAR

C25 minutes

D45 minutes

The Public Transportation Free Riding Problem:

Light Rail vs. Cars

Free riding gain: 5 Minutes (A minus B)

“Sucker penalty”: There is no sucker penalty!

III. Positive externalities of III. Positive externalities of good public transportationgood public transportation

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

What are the positive externalities of good public transportation?

1. Quicker commuting times, less congestion

2. Saving on private car infrastructure (parking ramps, street repairs, etc.)

3. Less pollution: less frequent house painting

4. Health benefits (asthma especially)

5. More efficient labor market, especially for poor (easier to get to jobs), therefore less need for welfare

6. Less need for multiple cars in a family

7. Energy savings

Key Question: What is the true economic value of the positive externalities of good public transportation?

IV. Why is Public IV. Why is Public Transportation so Transportation so weak in the U.S.?weak in the U.S.?

The LA Transportation Story The LA Transportation Story as told in as told in

Who Framed Roger RabbitWho Framed Roger Rabbit??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOXDrAk4tpc

V. SolutionsV. Solutions

Solutions Solutions

1.No free parking

2.Build infrastructure for transportation alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.

3.Increase residential density within cities

4.The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas taxes

5.Fully recognize the value of positive externalities in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: perhaps tickets should be free).

Solutions Solutions

1.1.No free parkingNo free parking

2.Build infrastructure for transportation alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.

3.Increase residential density within cities

4.The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas taxes

5.Fully recognize the value of positive externalities in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: perhaps tickets should be free).

Solutions Solutions

1.1.No free parkingNo free parking

2.2.Build infrastructure for transportation Build infrastructure for transportation alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.

3.Increase residential density within cities

4.The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas taxes

5.Fully recognize the value of positive externalities in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: perhaps tickets should be free).

Solutions Solutions

1.1.No free parkingNo free parking

2.2.Build infrastructure for transportation Build infrastructure for transportation alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.

3.3.Increase residential density within citiesIncrease residential density within cities

4.The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas taxes

5.Fully recognize the value of positive externalities in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: perhaps tickets should be free).

Solutions Solutions

1.1.No free parkingNo free parking

2.2.Build infrastructure for transportation Build infrastructure for transportation alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.

3.3.Increase residential density within citiesIncrease residential density within cities

4.4.The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas taxestaxes

5.Fully recognize the value of positive externalities in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: perhaps tickets should be free).

Gasoline prices and taxes in selected countries, 2012

Solutions Solutions

1.1.No free parkingNo free parking

2.2.Build infrastructure for transportation Build infrastructure for transportation alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.alternatives: bike paths, rapid transit, etc.

3.3.Increase residential density within citiesIncrease residential density within cities

4.4.The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas The full cost of driving should be reflected in gas taxestaxes

5.5.Fully recognize the value of Fully recognize the value of positivepositive externalities externalities in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: in the price of public transit tickets. (Implication: perhaps tickets should be free).perhaps tickets should be free).

http://freepublictransports.com/

No-Fare Public Transportation in Hasselt, Netherlands introduced July, 1997

Staten Island Ferry: free public transport

http://freepublictransports.com/city/

Cities with at least some free public transportation