Call for "Independent Review" of Perry's Highway Robbery in San Antonio.

Texas Toll Party members, led by San Antonio director Terri Hall, are demanding a public vote and independent review on shifting Loop 1604 and U.S. Highway 281 public highways in north Bexar County to tollways. See the WOAI report below. Citizens understand that important 'taxing' decisions should not be left to an unelected, unaccountable board.

Last year, Texas Toll Party members in Austin (where it all began) demanded an independent review. Councilmember Brewster McCracken led the charge and when the Capital Area MPO refused, he brought it to the Austin City Council for a vote. In March of 2005, City of Austin approved the Independent Review of the double tax toll plan in Austin.

DAILY TEXAN: "McCracken presented estimates of average toll charges per mile, which he said was 9 cents nationwide, 11 cents in Dallas and 14 cents in Houston. He said CTRMA originally said charges would be 12 cents to 15 cents, but has changed its estimates from 44 cents to 64 cents, five times higher than the national average and three-to-four-times higher than what CTRMA had given to CAMPO.

McCracken said the total estimated construction cost was $586 million, and $371 million in previously allocated funds were available. He said with a $215 million shortfall, an additional $867.6 million from additional non-toll road funding that will be provided to the region could easily make up for the difference."

The time is due - for every city in Texas to review the immoral shift of our public highways to tollways.

TTP's Terri Hall in San Antonio is questioning TxDOT's figures. She says money is available to build the projects now as non-toll projects, and more money could be available by suggesting alternative funding sources, like a local option gasoline tax.

Today's WOAI ARTICLE: "They (local officials) are spewing out figures like a 40 cent increase in the gasoline tax, a 50 cent increase in the gasoline tax, figures that just don't make any sense," Hall said. "The MPO in Austin actually did a study on these figures, which is what we're asking for there, and they determined their projects could be built with just a one or two cent gasoline tax increase. It was very modest, especially considering the higher prices we're paying in gasoline anyway."

Gov. Rick Perry's "innovative financing" is just a fancy word for Highway Robbery. Let's shine some light on these special interest plans to toll our public highways. Rick Perry has taken well over $1 million dollars from the toll/road lobby.