San Antonio Chapter of TTP fights to keep funded freeways free.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TIME TO END TxDOT'S BAIT & SWITCH
San Antonio, TX, July 25, 2005 – Concerned citizens through the Texas Toll Party will demand an independent review of the Texas Department of Transportation's toll plan at Monday's MPO Transportation Policy Board Meeting in the Community Room at the Via Metro Center (1021 San Pedro) set to begin at 1:30 PM. After calling for an independent review of the toll plan at the MPO Meeting, Texas Toll Party will hold a press conference.

"The 'rubber stamp' ethics that have powered this toll plan are about to come to an end," declares Terri Hall, Director of the San Antonio Chapter of the Texas Toll Party, a grassroots group aimed at stopping the double taxation of our freeways.

Word is out and the momentum behind a 21st century taxpayer revolt is gathering steam. Controversy has been swirling around the now mandated push for a secret agreement with a private company to build the toll starter system in San Antonio. Another of the group's key sticking points is that the US 281 road improvements (building overpasses at key intersections that currently have stop lights) were already funded ($30.9 million) and scheduled to begin construction in 2004. TxDOT came in two weeks before the start of 2004 and turned EVERY project into a toll project. Now the pricetag has more than doubled and has been delayed at least 2 years.

"TxDOT purposely manipulated the solution to our traffic congestion on US 281. It was all set to be fixed, and they pulled the ALREADY FUNDED project in order to charge us every time we drive on it through unlimited tolls, FOREVER," said a frustrated Hall. "A horrible fraud is being committed against the taxpayers and we want accountability!"

"When TxDOT takes an already funded $30.9 million project and it grows into a nearly $80 million toll project, something stinks! Then add to that the unlimited cost of tolls. Taxpayers know when they smell a rat, and this deal is going South and fast. It's past time to restore responsive government to the PEOPLE! Power to the People!" Hall concludes.

"It's time to get the voters back in the driver's seat instead of taxpayers being driven off a cliff by our own government!" she related. "Our government is taking a public entity (freeways), akin to our water supply, and turning it over to a private company to manipulate, control, and profit from. They may have unlimited money from special interests, but we have the power of the ballot box and we intend to use it!"

WHAT: Texas Toll Party Press Conference at MPO Transportation Policy Board Meeting at 1:30 PM.
WHEN: Press conference to begin shortly after the public comment portion of the MPO Meeting.
WHERE: Via Metro Center (1021 San Pedro)
WHO: You can contact Terri Hall for more information terri@purplepod.com