Debate, Drammen | When will everyone understand that tolls are an additional tax?

What is it I don’t understand tolls and the Socialist Left Party?

The Socialist Left Party is the guarantor for tolls in Drammen. Every single time they resort to some form of argument, tolls and property tax are involved.

It is a statement that says: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” It is extremely relevant. When a municipality or county is allocated “extra funds” or finds a hole from which money can be sucked, it only leads to getting used to spending more.

How much money must be assigned to a municipality before it says: No thanks, now we have enough?

Not even Norway’s richest municipalities have enough money, at least not enough to contribute with distribution to other “poor” municipalities. It is not unhealthy either for a municipality or a county to have to turn the money around and get the most out of every penny. And that should actually lead to more opportunities for savings. Cuts in politicians’ allowances, reorganisation/streamlining of central administration, cuts in the use of consultancy services, to name a few.

For approximately one years ago, the state told us that it was completely out of the question to build a new Holmenbridge without toll funding. This was another argument for trying to impose something on the population of Drammen that they do not want.

I wrote it time a reader post that I think it is downright rude of the state to try to impose the bill for a state-owned bridge on the people of Drammen. Now the bridge is part of the National Transport Plan, without toll funding. And all that was missing was….

How social is the introduction of tolls?

That the weakest should contribute the same amount of tolls as those with a high income, then it cannot possibly be a type of socialism that SV stands for?

Single with one or two children who depend on a car to make their everyday life work together. Those who are presumably dependent on passing a toll station several times a day must therefore pay as much or more than a well-paid salesperson with a company car, where the company pays the bill. Or do they imagine an elite who will pay tolls and that the “poor” will escape?

Of course I am agree that society’s common goods are, and should be, a joint venture. And then those who have the best ability to pay must pay more than those who have little ability to pay. We achieve that with progressive taxation. But – imposing the same tax on all people is as far from socialism as you can get. Taxes are, at best, a method of limiting unwanted behaviour. If you introduce a customs duty on cheese, it will make most people choose to buy Norwegian cheese because the imported cheese will be more expensive.

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Some believe, and that was probably the origin of the toll idea, that the introduction of tolls will lead to less car traffic. I personally don’t think anyone drives their car around for fun. For the vast majority of people, it is probably the case that it is a necessary evil.

I’m coming in at least not to use a car, neither more nor less, even if a road tax is introduced in Drammen. This is because I only use the car as a necessary means of getting around.

Then there is just one argument left to introduce tolls. More income for the county and municipality. Then the truth is that tolls become an additional tax imposed on citizens regardless of social status.

Is it good SV politics? Or should you try to find other forms of social networking?

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