Author: Randal O'Toole / Topic: Economics

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 06-2012
Content Type:: Working Paper
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Streetcars are the latest urban planning fad, stimulated partly by the Obama administration's preference for funding transportation projects that promote "livability" (meaning living without automobiles) rather than mobility or cost-effective transportation. Toward that end, the administration wants to eliminate cost-effectiveness requirements for federal transportation grants, instead allowing non-cost-effective grants for projects promoting so-called livability. In anticipation of this change, numerous cities are preparing to apply for federal funds to build streetcar lines.
Topic:: Economics, Environment, Government, Political Economy, and Infrastructure
Political Geography:: United States

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 05-2012
Content Type:: Working Paper
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Although gasoline taxes have long been the main source of funding for building, maintaining, and operating America's network of highways, roads, and streets, the tax is at best an imperfect user fee. As such, Congress and the states should take action to transition from gas taxes to more efficient vehicle-mile fees.
Topic:: Economics, Government, Communications, and Infrastructure
Political Geography:: United States

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 06-2011
Content Type:: Working Paper
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: The debate over President Obama's fantastically expensive high-speed rail program has obscured the resurgence of a directly competing mode of transportation: intercity buses. Entrepreneurial immigrants from China and recently privatized British transportation companies have developed a new model for intercity bus operations that provides travelers with faster service at dramatically reduced fares.
Topic:: Economics, Markets, Infrastructure, and Governance
Political Geography:: United States and China

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 05-2011
Content Type:: Working Paper
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Tax-increment financing (TIF) is an increasingly popular way for cities to promote economic development. TIF works by allowing cities to use the property, sales, and other taxes collected from new developments—taxes that would otherwise go to schools, libraries, fire departments, and other urban services—to subsidize those same developments.
Topic:: Economics, Markets, Monetary Policy, and Governance

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 10-2009
Content Type:: Working Paper
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Everyone agrees that the recent financial crisis started with the deflation of the housing bubble. But what caused the bubble? Answering this question is important both for identifying the best short-term policies and for fixing the credit crisis, as well as for developing long-term policies aimed at preventing another crisis in the future.
Topic:: Economics, Markets, and Financial Crisis
Political Geography:: United States, California, and Georgia

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 12-2009
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Sometime in 2010 or 2011, Congress expects to decide how to spend the $250 billion or more of federal gas taxes and other highway user fees that will be collected over the next six years. The process of doing so is called surface transportation reauthorization. A major point of contention in this law is how much of our transportation system should be centrally planned and how much should be built and operated in response to the needs of actual transportation users.
Topic:: Economics and Infrastructure
Political Geography:: United States

Author:: Randal O'Toole
Publication Date:: 10-2008
Content Type:: Policy Brief
Institution:: The Cato Institute
Abstract:: Rising gas prices and concerns about greenhouse gases have stimulated calls to build more rail transit lines in urban areas, increase subsidies to Amtrak, and construct a large-scale intercity high-speed rail system. These megaprojects will cost hundreds of billions of dollars, but they won't save energy or significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Topic:: Development, Economics, and Government
Political Geography:: United States

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