Some Dallas leaders saying "wait a minute" to "cash cow" freeway toll.

Across the state of Texas, cities are waking up to the smell of their veins being tapped for dollars. Perry's new tax scheme involves tolling public roads, and it's happening right now across Texas. Perry's "innovative finance" plan/mandate takes ALL existing funded Texas highway projects, some on the verge of completion, and turns them into toll roads at the last minute.

Dallas leaders are some of the latest in the state to say "hold on" to Perry's highway henchmen seeking to turn our freeways into "cash cow" revenue generating machines. I'm sure this could also turn into a political power play as some local politicians will want to get a taste of that money for their own political pet projects.

DALLAS MORNING NEWS: "If motorists must pay to drive State Highway 121 in Collin County, the money collected should be used to widen only that road, many local leaders there say.

The growing sentiment runs counter to state and regional leaders' hopes that a Highway 121 toll road would become a "revenue generator" that could help pay for highway projects in an era of stagnant gasoline-tax rates. Local leaders, in making their argument against the idea, say the possible toll road should not be viewed as a "cash cow."

"We heard enough at the city level and at our own level to say that the money needs to stay right on Highway 121," said Collin County Judge Ron Harris. "We think they should only sell enough bonds to finance the project – no excess."

A growing undercurrent of frustration with state funding policies in other areas helped lead to the move to scale back the revenue potential for the road and call for a county-based authority to oversee its financing and operation. Local policymakers are watching the continued debate over school finance and the plan critics have dubbed Robin Hood that has diverted millions of dollars from property-wealthy districts such as Plano to property-poor districts statewide.

Now, they are leery of creating a toll road that they say could eventually raise millions in revenue, only to have it sent to other parts of the state.

"It should not become a 'Robin Hood' for construction," said Frisco Mayor Mike Simpson. "If our council is going to look at a toll, one condition is that it pays only for what is needed." More Here