Gov. Perry appointee uses intimidation to toll public highways.

Ric Williamson appointed by Gov. Perry to govern TxDOT to privatize and toll Texas public highways, continues to exude his rabid style of Toll Road bullying all over the state.

Are we getting open and honest discussion about Texas' transportation policy in the meetings? NO WAY. If you are a local official and you don't agree with Ric Williamson, he'll lecture you about tolls and then he may take away your regular highway funding.

"The Texas Transportation Commission should be used to public scrutiny. But most of the scrutiny has come from boosters and beggars wanting a new highway who will not risk antagonizing the commission by publicly questioning the way it does the public's business."
– Austin-American Statesman, 12/28/03

THIS WEEK, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said of Williamson's intimidation "I'm not going to be run over from some guy with a big ego from TxDOT."

But that rabid Ric Williamson style is nothing new. At the 12/19/02, meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission, Harris County Judge Eckels said that we should have a balanced system of toll roads and free roads. Eckels said that we need to look at increasing the gasoline tax to maintain a balanced system. Eckels was immediately and harshly rebuffed by Williamson, who questioned why anyone could support an increase in the gasoline tax because 25% of the money goes to education.

At the 3/27/03, TTC meeting, Collin County Judge Harris stated that the gasoline tax needs to be considered as part of the funding for future transportation improvements. Ric Williamson told Harris to get lost, that tolls are the only way Texas will finance highways. Williamson indicated giving local regions the option to increase their fuel tax would not something to consider.

SA EXPRESS Today: "State transportation officials have pushed San Antonio leaders, treated them rudely and ignored them, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff charged Tuesday.

Commissioner Lyle Larson, who says he's been ostracized by Gov. Rick Perry for opposing state toll road plans, is trying to cut the authority's funding.

"I don't know what kind of Kool-Aid's being sloshed around Austin," he said. "But let me tell you, people are opposed to this."

Larson claims the state asked the county to form the authority just to have a shield against angry motorists. The authority is bureaucratic deadwood, he said, because state officials insist on deciding how to handle private proposals to build the city's first 47 miles of toll roads.