JLF legal analyst Daren Bakst explores the morality of capitalism:

While capitalism brings competition and the many benefits that it provides consumers, socialism brings central planning, shortages and poor products. There’s nothing moral about a select few elites in a centrally planned economy having the arrogance to believe that planning can mimic the complexity of a free market.

Which brings us to PART, which Guilford County Commissioner Billy Yow called “socialized transportation” during last night’s meeting. The N&R reports (unposted) that commissioners voted to give $394,000 to the transportation authority, with Yow and fellow Commissioner Bill Bencini voting against. In return for the grant, PART ostensibly would take over operation of the county’s transportation services, which provides rides for senior citizens. But those details haven’t been worked out yet. Call me cynical, but I suspect Chairman Skip Alston floated the plan in order to better sell the handout.

The N&R editorializes:

The situation is, well, desperate. Higher fuel prices and lower returns from a 5 percent tax on vehicle rental — its main funding source —have strained PART’s finances. Two fare increases within the last six months and route cutbacks will help, but won’t be enough. PART’s interim financial director said recently that the agency can’t keep operating as it is now without going broke before the next fiscal year.

PART’s requests last spring for a $3 vehicle registration tax in participating counties and a later plea for direct payments fell on deaf ears. But a dependable, convenient regional transportation network is critical to the Triad. Not everyone has an automobile and landing and keeping a job starts with physically getting to work.

Bottom line: Everyone’s hurting. The proposed new arrangement with Guilford County possibly could stretch budget dollars for PART and for the county.

And it could possibly buy the ailing transit authority precious time to ride out a bumpy economy.

Many businesses in the private sector don’t have the luxury of a taxpayer cash infusion to “ride out the bumpy economy.” They simply go under. PART may provide a valuable service, but —bottom line —- it isn’t valuable enough to be self-sustaining. With that in mind perhaps perhaps PART just should die a natural death.