This. This right here is a major problem with the suburbs. All the benefits for the people who have the privilege to live in one are great, with the negatives of driving externalized onto other people.
I understand what you’re saying, and being able to drive is definitely a privilege I have. Public transit exists. I can walk to a bus stop within 10 minutes of my home. It’ll take me all over including to a vibrant downtown. It can also take me to a local train station where I can ride affordably into many neighboring communities along my route, ultimately taking me to a major city.
Suburbs don’t have to be these horrible places they’re made out to be.
No, suburbs are great for the people who live there. What I’m pointing out is that the people who live in them don’t pay the costs. The people in the heavily populated areas have to deal with car noise, traffic congestion, pollution (like tire and brake dust) and its detriment to their health, and traffic danger of suburbanites driving through their neighborhoods, all the while subsidizing the suburbs with their tax money.
I think there’s a bit more nuance to it than that. I can look up a tax map for my state and see that for every dollar I pay in taxes that only 60 cents come back to where I live. It’s 98 cents back to the big city associated with my suburb.
The areas that get more in taxes than they pay in are the rural areas.
This. This right here is a major problem with the suburbs. All the benefits for the people who have the privilege to live in one are great, with the negatives of driving externalized onto other people.
I understand what you’re saying, and being able to drive is definitely a privilege I have. Public transit exists. I can walk to a bus stop within 10 minutes of my home. It’ll take me all over including to a vibrant downtown. It can also take me to a local train station where I can ride affordably into many neighboring communities along my route, ultimately taking me to a major city.
Suburbs don’t have to be these horrible places they’re made out to be.
No, suburbs are great for the people who live there. What I’m pointing out is that the people who live in them don’t pay the costs. The people in the heavily populated areas have to deal with car noise, traffic congestion, pollution (like tire and brake dust) and its detriment to their health, and traffic danger of suburbanites driving through their neighborhoods, all the while subsidizing the suburbs with their tax money.
I think there’s a bit more nuance to it than that. I can look up a tax map for my state and see that for every dollar I pay in taxes that only 60 cents come back to where I live. It’s 98 cents back to the big city associated with my suburb.
The areas that get more in taxes than they pay in are the rural areas.
Your mindset is rooted in privilege.