Less cars, less revenue, less roads

By Jason Moore WHY is it tourists who always have to pay when the local government get their figures wrong? The simple answer is that they can't vote and let's face it, most people who live on the island believe, that if they can be exploited even further, then the best of luck. But unfortunately what local politicians don't appear to realise is that in some ways holidaymakers have more power than just a vote in an election every four years. They can elect to go somewhere else where they won't have to pay additional surcharges on their holidays. It is rather ironic; the Balearic government is taxing the car-hire sector which will lead to less vehicles on the road to pay for its controversial road building programme. Surely, less cars less need for roads? Obviously not. Let's face it, the reason why more roads are having to be built is because the money earnt from tourism has transformed the local economy and we have three-car-families. Anyone who is stuck in a traffic jam in the Via Cintura this week knows that there are far too many cars on the roads and the bulk of them belong to local residents. There are few hire cars because, unfortunately, at this time of the year there are few tourists. If tourists have to pay a surcharge then a similar tax should also have to be paid by all motorists in the islands. Following the Balearic government's logic, then, there will be fewer cars on the road and no need to build all the new motorways, large chunks of Majorca's beautiful countryside would be saved and to celebrate this state of affairs, as there is no need for the additional revenue, then taxes can be cut. The local environment will also benefit as well.