Gas Prices Hurting Public Services
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in GasThe problem with high gas prices is that they have a rolling effect not just on prices but on overall quality of life. New data indicates that 81% of counties say public safety is the most impacted by higher fuel prices. But it’s not police or fire that is typically being cut. It’s other services. Like mass transit.
Cleveland, for instance, is planning to cut drivers and routes after the bus fleet’s fuel costs rose from $5 million in 2003 to an estimated $21 million this year.
Another area effected? Repairing potholes. Not just because the trucks take gas but because asphalt is a petroleum product and its main component has risen in price by 90% since last year.
If fuel prices continue to stay at high levels, look for municipalities around the country to cut back on services or increase taxes. Without prices falling back to manageable levels, we may look back on 2008 as the year in which strategies for city design and management began to change on a mass level.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 and is filed under Gas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:35 am
It’s unfortunate that mass transit gets cut because if that forces people to drive more it will only exacerbate the price problems. Although I suppose many of those using mass transit don’t really have that option.