They also tax the rich through progressive income taxes, capital gains taxes, corporate taxes etc.

If you’re asking why not just tax the rich in place of a VAT, well, it’s sort of why not tax the rich to pay for absolutely everything we could want. The costs and difficulties in taxing the rich generally scale to the point where the marginal revenue raised by the tax becomes negative.

You don’t understand how minimal maintenance on roads is less expensive than the equipment and personnel to drive through it on a frequent basis?

That’s worrying indictment of the education system.

Absolutely both are needed. I struggle to understand how people think a rural area with 5 minute drives between homes could be connected to a public transit network that is timely and not astronomically expensive.