Freeway Tolls still in CAMPO plan

CAMPO approved a $22.3 billion Tax & Toll plan Monday eve (6/6/05) with a YES to toll our freeways, while throwing a bone -- which could turn out to be more than a wishbone -- to the anti-double-tax toll movement. We need to rush right in and turn this to our advantage. See how you can help at the end of this article.

Approved 18-5, it includes making Ed Bluestein Boulevard, 71 East, 45 South, 290 East and 290 West toll roads.

Turnout was good, considering that a meeting is called in Oak Hill tonight AND our troops are focused on the current Austin City Council runoff this Saturday. Be sure to get your family, friends, cats & dogs out to vote today (last day of early voting) and volunteer with us this Saturday. Come to the office at 10 a.m. for a few hours or a day of campaigning.

Perhaps of greatest note was that EVERY last Toll Lobby guy including Pete Winstead and Robert Tesch and Bruce Byron were there wearing bright orange badges to support for the Tax & Toll CAMPO plan. The road lobby suits didn't even try to speak, in a change of tactics, but merely faced the politicians with their oversized orange badges, creating visions of sugar plums (campaign $$$$) in the minds of the money junkie politicians, no doubt.


We got to see the Toll Lobby scurrying around during a 5 minute "intermission". They were all there. What's important to understand is that, for years, the Real Estate Council has been attempting to hide themselves behind their representatives on CAMPO (Sonlietner, Barrientos, Krusee, etc.).  We (you, me and the thousands of people who are voting in the current Austin Council runoff) are making them come out to these meetings. And, we're pulling the sheets off these people -- and we will continue to teach the people WHO these people are and WHAT they are doing.

Brewster McCracken (and Biscoe) produced an amendment that was passed. It allowed the CAMPO staff to participate in an independent review study authorized by the Austin City Council earlier this year. This work can be a productive wedge that allows us to get our freeway tolls (phase 2) pulled from the plan.

In a strange turn, Brewster McCracken gave public praise to the top Toll Lobby individuals like Terry Bray and Bruce Byron - for helping with the amendment vote. I'll be watching this process. I've been told that we, the public, will be a big part of the independent review study. We'll take a wait and see approach, because this can in the long run help us. 

Please file for future reference that turn coat, Two Faced Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, led the charge for the toll plan! He is, indeed, on an electoral slippery slope.


Texas Department of Transportation Austin district engineer Bob Daigh "promised" work will continue or begin on several of the controversial toll roads. But no "irrevocable" actions will occur, HE SAID, that would preclude the toll designations from being removed.  WE WILL BE DISCUSSING OUR STRATEGY FOLLOWING THIS CITY COUNCIL ELECTION ON SATURDAY, FOR TAKING OUR MOVEMENT REGIONWIDE, at our next meeting on:

Saturday, June 18th, 11-1 pm
Austin History Center, 9th & Guadalupe

There are key officials, involved in the current dance, we need to target for defeat in this upcoming election.  That entails seeing who's now positioning to run, meeting with them, and perhaps even drafting candidates to run.  Got any thoughts?  Send me a note.

Hats off to Becki Halpin (and Carol Cespedes) of Oak Hill, who stood up to the microphones twice, and was able to pressure CAMPO, to squeeze an additional TxDOT meeting for the Oak Hill community. Becki's point? How can the working people come to see the toll plans for Oak Hill at the "Y", if you shut down your "open House" at 7pm? She did a great job last night, as did every citizen that took a stand for Central Texans.

YOUR PEOPLES CHAMPIONS:
They still stand strong to represent us!

Todd Baxter (todd.baxter@house.state.tx.us)
Terry Keel (terry.keel@house.state.tx.us)
Eddie Rodriquez (eddie.rodriguez@house.state.tx.us)
Elliot Naishtat (elliott.naishtat@house.state.tx.us)
Daryl Slusher (Daryl.Slusher@ci.austin.tx.us)

Each of the five who voted no on Monday also voted no last summer. But Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, who voted against the toll plan in July, voted yes this time. And state Rep. Mark Strama voted yes for the plan.

The plan:

* Assumes the population will double.
* Would add almost 1,000 expressway and tollway miles to central Texas.
* Increase congestion from 10 percent to 29 percent.
* Consider land-planning concerns put forward by Liveable City in recent weeks.

Note these items in plan:

* Two 'managed lanes' (generally, tolls for single-occupant cars, free to carpoolers and buses) added to Interstate 35 from County Road 111 in Williamson County to Slaughter Lane in South Austin.
* Two managed lanes added on MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) from Parmer Lane to Slaughter Lane.
* Added lanes on U.S. 183 north of RM 620, managed lanes added south into Central Austin.
* Phase 2 toll road plan approved last year is STILL included, tolling our freeways in Austin. The first time any city in the US will toll a freeway.
* Eleven highways would be studied for tolls, including Texas 71 and U.S. 290 east and west of Austin, that in an earlier draft of the 2030 plan were shown as tollways. This was a battle we won. More battles to be won soon, with your help.

CAMPO members who voted YES to toll freeways we've already paid for:
(We must de-elect many of them in the coming months - with your help):

Will Wynn, Austin Mayor
Karen Sonleitner, County Commissioner
Dawnna Dukes, State Representative
Gonzalo Barrientos, State Senator
Sam Biscoe, County Judge
Gerald Daugherty, County Commissioner
Danny Thomas, Councilmember
Brewster McCracken, Councilmember
Dwight Thompson, Westlake Mayor
Mark Strama, State Representative
Mike Krusee, State Representative
Nyle Maxwell, Round Rock Mayor
Greg Boatright, County Commissioner
Steve Ogden, State Senator
Dan Gattis, State Representative
Franki Limmer, State Representative
Jim Powers, County Judge
Bob Daigh, TxDOT
John Travino, Cap Metro
(Rick Perry)

Together we are making real progress with real momentum. But, what happens next is up to you. We need you to join us in our fight to make our politicians listen to the people. Showing our political strength is essential.

What's next? IT'S GREAT - EXCITING STUFF! - Come to our next meeting on Saturday to learn about it, June 18, 11 to 1, Austin History Center, 9th & Guadalupe. Call 371-9926 today to volunteer (or donate).