politicalcivility.com Blog

Okay, now that I’ve complained about the sad state of the UTA, my next question to myself is, “Fine, Lyall, what do you propose?  It does little good to be an armchair quarterback.” 

With that in mind, I look to principles of good government.  I am not arguing that public transportation does not have a role, but why do we assume that the state government should run the program.  Why not open up the system to the private sector to compete over transportation alongside the UTA?  The UTA, based on the audit, is obviously showing signs of a monopoly.  Prices are going up, service is going down, and a constant stream of red flowing from their balance sheet.

I think we could learn a lot from Indianapolis while under the leadership of Mayor Stephen Goldsmith.  In his book, “The Twenty-first Century City,” he speaks about meaningful ways to introduce competition and thus innovation in to services that local and state governments have performed over the past 50 years.  It is interesting to note that not all of Goldsmith’s city services ended up in the hands of the “private” sector.  He makes an important distinction that privatization is not the end goal.  A private monopoly is just as bad as a public monopoly.  Competition is the key.  It’s time to let the UTA compete with the local entrepreneur to deliver a service that for many of our neighbors in need is a key service.

Final Low Lights:

(4) Subsidized Total Cost per Passenger Boarding

• Bus: 87% or $5.11
• Light Rail: 86% or $3.51
• Vanpool: 75% or $3.53
• Paratransit: 92% or $36.82

In sum, this means that the Utahns are subsidizing public transportation to the tune of $162 Million in 2006.  All this for a service that does little to relieve congestion, adds significant amounts of pollution, and lacks oversight and accountability.

More Lowlights:

(2) 4.5% of traffic using some form of mass transit.  The most opptimistic estimates put usage of mass transit at 7% in 2030.  The problem is given population increases over that same time, mass transit is going to do little or nothing to reduce congestion, and if bus use goes up, pollution will actually be worse as car emissions are reduced by technology.

(3) Lack of independence and lack of accountability: the state audit found that:

“We are concerned about the strength of the board’s oversight.  We question whether the board is prepared to ask questions regarding such matters as the adequacy of ridership data, the level of taxpayer subsidy, and whether UTA has an appropriate pricing strategy.”

The UTA is a mess on many fronts.  Last week the Utah legislature received an audit of the UTA.

 Lowlight (1): UTA adding significantly to pollution woes.  From the Audit:

“In fact, buses create more NOx (really bad pollution fumes) than if all 2006 transit passenger miles had been traveld in passenger cars.”

Another classic quote from Joseph Story that hits the heart of powering grabbing advocates on both sides of the isle (i.e., the “WAR” on terror or the “WAR” poverty).  

It has been often said, that necessity is the plea of tyrants, but it is equally true, that it is the plea of all public bodies invested with power, where no check exists upon its exercise.

In one sentence, Story outlines the formula for power accumulation (or governmental intervetionalism, which ultimately leads to totalitarianism):  create or magnify a crisis (necessity for fixing/intervening), make it emotional so that rational thinking is easy to marginalize, and once the public is in uproar, pass legislation that increases the size and scope of government and accumulates power to the state. 

Simple and proven strategy.  Perhaps next time we here of the next “WAR” on anything we would do well to ask if by adopting the “solution” of the advocate do I gain freedom or surrender it.

There are several bills comming before the Utah House and Senate that represent a disturbing trend in “immigration reform.”  These proposals, while popular with some conservatives appear to me to be unconstitutional.  Immigration is a power specifically enumerated in the constitution as a federal jurisdiction and federal power.  When Utah or any other state takes on the role of federal agent/enforcer we are not only setting a bad precendent, but we are also acting in violation of one of our most sacred national documents: the Constitution of the United States.  The legislature’s efforts would be better spent on putting pressure on our federally elected officials to make the necessary changes to federal immigration policy.  One example of this is Rep. Morgan’s proposal (HB 262) to seek reimbursement for costs the state sustains as a result of dealing with illegal immigration.  This bill begins to hold the federal government responsible for their inaction and helps Utah deal with costs associated with a failed immigration policy.

The WSJ journal reported today that the majority of births in 2006 were out of wedlock for the first time in French history.  Just another sign that the battle against the natural family is being won at the expense of children and their future.

I wrote a letter to the editor @ the desnews on this, which hit this morning.

here’s the link: http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695243437,00.html

Quick hit from Story’s commentaries that is timely given the fact that our legislature will convene next week:

The disease most incident to free governments is the facility and excess of law-making.

“You just can’t have a system that is all Republican or all Democrat,” Wayne Crabb said. “There is a reason the government has been set up the way it has with both Democrats and Republicans.”

(http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695242527,00.html)

I’d like to ask Mr. Crabb to show me where in the constitution of our country or of any state that has been set up for two parties.  I can’t seem to find that “check” in the document.  What’s more is that many of the founders actually warned about the problems the country could face if we had a two-party system.  Mr. Crabb’s comments are just one more example of the impact of an education system that is failing to teach and prepare citizens to participate effectively in our society.