Comment 52552

By Borrelli (registered) | Posted December 02, 2010 at 15:49:36

I've been happy to sit back and read this very interesting debate for past couple of days, especially since A Smith (who I think is often unfairly targeted for his/her views) was involved, but that last post was brain-meltingly obstinate.

No mention of public good? If billions of investment spread around downtown, an increase in the city's tax base, a reduction in traffic, and the mitigation of the environmental problems with idling cars and single-person car trips doesn't somehow work towards the public good, I'm not sure what will satisfy you, Smith.

I think Ryan's done an admirable job in describing how an LRT downtown, even one you might never use, will still improve your quality of life as a Hamiltonian. Maybe not as much as it might improve my life, and maybe the "benefits" you see won't be crudely measured in dollars and cents.

But this isn't a Randian utopia yet--it's a mixed-economy that re-distributes resources to fill disproportionate needs. That's why there will always be some disproportionality in the investment of these resources and their expected benefits. As a Canadian citizen and Hamiltonian, I tacitly agree to my tax money being pooled and directed to (ideally) improve the lives of people who may live nowhere near me, and I don't resent that. Neither should you.

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