THE USE OF TAX INCENTIVES FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT AS A SUBSIDY ALTERNATIVE

The objective of this paper is to propose a positive means of encouraging the use of public transit, through the creation and utilization of incentives aimed at stimulating demand. A tax incentive is proposed and examined as a form of revenue source subsidy which can be coupled with a congestion tolllgasoline tax policy to accomplish this demand stimulation, and is examined in light of the associated public policy issues. Taken into account are the typology of subsidy, the justification for subsidy, the sources of subsidy and the impact of different types of subsidy on economic factors, such as price and cost. Copyright 1986 by The Policy Studies Organization.

Why measure inequality?

A large body of literature is devoted to the measurement of income inequality, yet little attention is given to the question, Why measure inequality? However, the reasons for measurement bear importantly on whether and how measurement should be done. Upon examination, normative measures are found to be of questionable value. Descriptive measures, by contrast, may be useful, but the appropriate measure depends on the field of application rather than on general, a priori principles of the sort that are emphasized in the existing measurement literature. Measures of poverty are also considered, and similar conclusions are reached. Copyright Springer 2005income distribution, inequality, inequality measurement, poverty, poverty measurement, progressivity, redistribution, social welfare function,