What would my “radically” pro-transit politics look like, over 15 years?
1. Let the market determine rates for parking. No more requirements that people build areas for parking, no more requirements for free parking, parking on government land should be set at the market rate, though I’ll allow limited exceptions for government buildings, like courthouses, that provide essential services to charge below-market rates.
2. Full pigouvian taxes on gas (covering both highways and climate change) and driving in congested areas.
3. Cut the sales tax and other regressive taxes with the revenue raised. The congestion tax and the boon to government finances from charging market rates for parking will entail a mild relative subsidy to rural areas, which have a harder time shifting away from cars and so will suffer more from the gas tax.
4. Shift power over development from localities to states to the extent possible. This will decrease the ability of locals to veto and increase representation of non-residents, an almost certain improvement.
Note that there is nothing here about explicitly encouraging mass transit. If we do all this, and people shift to denser development and bike more places, use motorcycles to get around more frequently, carpool more frequently, and shift towards taxis and away from their own cars, then I’ll be satisfied: under conditions of a freer political/economic market, people might not choose mass transit, and I want to respect their choices. But now we’re not massively subsidizing one form of transit over others, at least it’s an honest choice.