Quote:
Originally Posted by PhillyRising
Hmmm...do you not think Harrisburg gets a huge chunk of the revenue it collects each year from the 5 county Philadelphia area? It's been estimated that 40% of the revenue the commonwealth collects comes from those 5 counties. Pennsylvania has 67 counties and 5 of them are generating nearly half of the revenue. You figure Pittsburgh, Harrisburg-Lancaster, and the Lehigh Valley are putting in another 40-45% together and the rural counties who act like they pay for everything put in their paltry contribution.
We also pay the highest tolls per mile on the Turnpike starting from Downingtown to the New Jersey Turnpike. For me to go to Fort Washington from Downingtown is $5.50 in tolls for a 26 mile ride. It's costs me the same amount to go to the Lebanon-Lancaster exit from Downingtown despite it being 20 more miles longer.
Living in this area it just feels like we pay to prop up the rural areas that are dying...and then they turn around and resent our existence like we are the problem.
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As I just stated above,
"The biggest chunk of state tax revenue is obviously going to come from the areas of the state with the highest populations... they're putting more into the pot."
The have nearly half the population, so yeah, they're gonna contribute nearly half the state tax revenue. It's very simple math... where the most population is, is where the most tax money is going to come from.
But don't go and say that they are "propping up the rural areas" when those same (comparatively wealthy) counties are receiving huge portions of the pot in return. I mean... are you telling me that the four wealthiest counties in the state (Chester, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware) will cease to be viable locations without 35-50% of their revenue coming from state and federal allocations on a roughly 2:1 basis?
That is a MUCH more accurate instance of being "propped up" by everyone else. And I don't disagree with this... the places that pay more should get more of the collective pot -- we live in a Commonwealth.
To act like YOU are being hurt by paying into Forest County's paltry
$341k annual state allocation while your SE PA county is receiving between
$250M and $4B annually is absolutely absurd. Get off your high horse.
As far as Turnpike tolls go, whoever uses it the most, pays for it the most. If you don't like it, take it up with the market economy.
Maybe people in PA who don't live anywhere near the Turnpike and don't use it shouldn't have to pay anything to "prop it up", right?