Strayhorn Opposes Texas Toll Plan; Calls for Secret Road Contract to be Made Public

For Immediate Release: Monday, July 25, 2005

(Austin) – Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn today reiterated her opposition to Gov. Rick Perry’s Trans Texas Corridor, which is the largest land grab in Texas history, and called on Gov. Perry, the Texas Department of Transportation and Cintra Zachary, LP to release hundreds of pages of financial and development documents related to the Trans Texas Corridor.

Strayhorn, who is an announced Republican candidate for Governor in 2006, said Cintra is defying Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s ruling that TxDOT and Cintra must release details of its corridor plan to the public. One month has passed since TxDOT and Cintra filed a lawsuit to block the release of those documents.

“The people of Texas recognize Gov. Perry’s Trans Texas Catastrophe as the largest land grab in Texas history,” Strayhorn said. “Gov. Perry and his highway henchmen want to secretly cram toll roads down the people’s throats, which is why they don’t want these documents made public. Withholding the financial and development details of the largest land grab in history is unconscionable.

“The people, not Gov. Perry, his professional politicians and his highway henchmen know what’s best for Texas,” Strayhorn said. “Hard-working Texas taxpayers have the right to read the full details of a contract they will be stuck with for the next 50 years.

“Gov. Perry, tell your highway henchmen at TxDOT to release these documents right now,” Strayhorn said.

Cintra is a Spanish-based construction company.

As the state’s chief fiscal officer and a strong advocate for government in the sunshine, Comptroller Strayhorn is a staunch defender of taxpayer dollars and “One Tough Grandma” watching out for all Texans.