Weekend links: Taxes and spending

Taxis and taxes

If installing credit card readers in taxis isn’t that hard to do, why aren’t more cabs doing it? Is it due to expense or the desire to evade taxes? (Post)

Be patient with VA’s surplus

Virginia has a $100-million transportation surplus. Such a year-end surplus is typical and may not be wise to zero out in a hurry. The money roll over into next year’s spending anyway. (Examiner)

SmarTrip changes coming

Per IRS rules, SmarTrip cards will soon hold separate accounts for parking and transit fare.  The cards will reload SmartBenefits automatically. Sadly, Congress may lower transit benefits while raising parking benefits. (Post)

It’s the zoning, stupid!

Grumblings about a state gas tax increase is misdirected. Marylanders should instead grumble about land use policies and poor transit investment that encourage car dependence and gas-price vulnerability.  (Baltimore Sun)

New York installs benches

New York received FTA money to install 1,000 sidewalk benches to make walking and transit more enjoyable.  Many cities, especially DC, are extraordinarily reluctant to install sidewalk benches. (Streetsblog)

Chicago’s poor attempt at congestion pricing

Mayor Emanuel wants a $2 surcharge on parking in city-owned lots and garages.  The surcharge, which will not apply to street meters, may just encourage more drivers to hunt for street parking instead. (NPR)

Philly testing complete street designs

A neighborhood, with city support, installed temporary bulb-outs at intersections and vegetated chicanes on narrow streets. The city added a new bike lane to Spruce St. and found that serious crashes fell 34%. (PPS)

And…

Two nuclear plants in Virginia will power up again after closing during the earthquake. (HuffPo) … DC now has 1 Republican council candidate. (Post) … The Red Line is split in two this weekend; riders on other lines may suffer very long waits.