Money doesn't grow on trees, unless your a farmer.....

Edward,

You're right in theory and math, you're wrong in terms of political will and public perception.... Convincing the public that they have a competent government, capable of good governance, and responsive to the public's needs, in order to convince them to part with "their" money for these things is kind of important, too. When they see the current priorities for spending on rail infrastructure, and infrastructure in general, they are, in my opinion, rightly confused, about the quality of responsible governance they are getting.

When things like these LOSSAN projects are left starved for funding, but babbling fools, still without any real plan on how to finish this "thing", piss $10 billion of "their" tax dollars away on a line from Chowchilla, to somewhere just north of Bakersfield, that causes the citizens to get confused that we may not be competent and responsible enough to trust with "their" tax dollars.

I would be inclined to do some of the things you recommend, being mindful of Overtaxed point that we have a tax system that favors wealth over income, even in the top end distribution, and that the burden of things like fuel taxes fall most heavily on that other 99%, who aren't that impressed with our current performance on some of these things.

And, Norm, it's not a plot to gather revenue. Enforcement is more often than not a cost, since court costs and personnel eat up your "profit" pretty fast. I've been in these area's along the LOSSAN four times just in the last two months, where I've personally seen this death defying behavior, by folks who would tell you they're well educated and affluent, who then proceed to act like morons, by putting their earbuds in and jogging down the choo-choo track.