"only so many dollars for transportation" - true, so why waste so much on cars?

CJOnline.com: "“There are only so many dollars that can be spent on transportation within this region between now and 2040 and we need to make sure that we’re selecting the right projects so that we can meet the needs of the region,” he said."

This is what is wrong with the framing of transportation funding. Cars are assumed to be paid for. Public transit is an "expense." Actually the opposite is true. Cars are bleeding government budgets dry with all their costs. Public transit actually reduces car miles and thus car costs -- it actually pays for itself.