The Muckraker

In Sunday's Star Telegram, Perry's appointee to govern TxDOT says the money we spend on tolls could end up paying for Prop 1 unlimited rail debt! That means our toll dollars would pay for Union Pacific's new rail across Texas - what a deal for U.P. - who continues to make record profits.

Prop 1:

As people vote, more information comes out. Todd Staples finally tells the truth on how Prop 1 rail will help pay for Trans Texas Corridor. Also, an MPO Director spills the beans about how even after taxpayer pay unlimited taxes and debt for generations (to rejuvenate private industries rail), industry rail still needs to get into cities! More problems equals more of our taxdollars down the line.

Tricky PROP 1 rail: CORPORATE WELFARE.

"Lawmakers pushing for Proposition 1 say it has nothing to do with the mega-transportation project known as the Trans Texas Corridor. And yet, Prop. 1 would facilitate many of the projects that fall under that plan.

Opponents of the amendment say it's a sneaky way to get voter approval."

– NEWS 8 AUSTIN

SEE VIDEO HERE.

From Aus Chron today:

Last Thursday, with the ink barely dry on that morning's agenda, the ongoing debate over the proposed Central Texas toll road study careened onto the dais. One of the council's first items was approval of an Interlocal Agreement between Austin, Round Rock, surrounding counties, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization – all stakeholders in CAMPO's proposed, toll road-centered, mobility plan (some holding noticeably more stake than others). Raul Alvarez had pulled the item from the consent agenda, while expressing concerns over the direction and independence of the study's steering committee. Brewster McCracken tried to sooth Alvarez concerning the study's delay, arguing that as noncity stakeholders joined what had originally been the city's get-together, the study's scope inevitably expanded. Unsoothed, Alvarez characterized the newcomers as party crashers. "We get two votes on – potentially on – what the study says and does, versus us being the managers … driving the process," he said. "It's great to be working with everyone, but it does raise some questions with me about how independent the study is going to be." Alvarez's doubts were milder versions of the outrage already expressed by toll-road opponents, most notably the Austin Toll Party's Sal Costello.

For his part, McCracken said the study and steering committee represent "the best example of [regional] cooperation in Central Texas history" – take that, Envision Central Texas – and that any fears of the study changing direction were unfounded, as its financing makes it "pretty dang near set in stone." The measure passed 6-1, Alvarez the lone wolf. "To a certain degree," he said afterward, "it's out of our hands now."

"Propositions 1 and 9 are on the ballot to speed up the Perry Government's rush to put higher profits into the bank accounts of private developers at the taxpayers' expense, through the public subsidization of privately owned and operated transportation facilities by the actions of un-elected developers' cronies. Just vote NO."

Contact: Linda Curtis
TexasTollParty.com Organizer
(512)371-9926

****PRESS ADVISORY****

Flyering Squads hit the streets
to shoot down Props 1 & 9
- GOV. PERRY'S UNLIMITED TAX, DEBT
& TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR SCHEMES

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TexasTollParty.com Office, 4533 Avenue A, #208, Austin, TX 78751

Perry's plan to shift all our public highways to tollways is nothing like what has happened in our country before.

Traditional tolls have been designed and built as toll roads. And, they have been built with investor dollars.

Perry's public highway tolls will hold Texans hostage to pay a toll to drive on freeways we've funded, just to go to work, school and shop. And the rates will be set by unelected people that have been found to give no-bid contracts to themselves and their pals.

The SA Texas Toll Party Director Terri Hall has some great words of wisdom on her blog:

"Mr. Krusee, I have some very basic principles to share with you, so please pay attention. Free market principles cannot apply to limited public assets like roadways. We, the consumer, can't go build a competing road if we don't like the way a private corporation builds and tolls our existing ones."

An SA Express "Business" reporter published a Pro-Prop 1 article called "A vote for rail relocation fund is a vote to boost S.A. economy". It claims the new taxpayer funded tax & debt rail fund is a good idea. Well, he didn't mention the taxpayer possible pricetag of Billions of our dollars, just like the Perry folks who continue to drop those flaming bags of tax & debt poop at our front doors.

Colorado is not Texas. Colorado does not have a rogue governor trying to force a $200 Billion dollar Trans Texas Corridor on Texans. Perry promised no tax dollars would be used. Prop 1 proves that Perry will use tax dollars for the TTC.

My response as printed in the SA Express:

Rail fund is bad business.

Re: David Hendricks' column "A vote for rail relocation fund is a vote to boost S.A. economy" (Business, Oct. 5): Would you agree to buy a car without seeing a price tag? I wouldn't either. How about buying a car without a price tag for a neighbor?

Proposition 1 is just that, but worse. It's an open-ended corporate subsidy scheme — with blank checks. Taxpayers will pay unlimited tax dollars to move private rail lines — in some cases into Gov. Rick Perry's controversial Trans Texas Corridor.

Perry promised that no public funds would be used. Did he keep his promise? No. The corridor is in direct opposition to Texas' Republican Party platform. While private special-interest corporations profit, families pay more as they help fund the largest land grab in Texas history — Perry's Trans Texas Corridor.

It gets worse. Our state debt commitment also will be open-ended for the Proposition 1 rail fund, like a credit card with no ceiling. The state is committing taxpayers to massive debt for generations, while private special-interest corporations profit. I agree that private rail, in some cases, should be relocated, but not without a price tag or terms or limits. It's fiscally irresponsible and bad business.

Let's get real. Vote no to special interests' unlimited taxes and debt.

Sal Costello, founder,
People for Efficient Transportation
and TexasTollParty.com,
Austin, TX

The foxes decide they will guard the hen house.

"The city manager is directed to inquire if the RMA (toll authority) or other government entities would be willing to participate in the cost of the study, however the study is not to be delayed"

City of Austin Councilman Brewster McCracken has spent many months looking to "expand the study" by searching out more funds. Mind you, the city had the bare bones study fully funded with $150,000. But, Brewster said he wanted the study to include alternatives. Today the additional funds are lined up with the toll authority putting up to $125,000 or 35% of the funds for the review.

• City pays majority of the study but majority
of votes come from outside the city, and the
same people that voted to toll roads we've
already paid for!

• The Toll Authority (CTRMA) is the
Project Coordinator!

• Process not open: Secret meetings are
allowed, public cannot speak at all meetings,
and review committee not subject to
open meetings act.

Peter Samuel, the father of traditional toll road privatization, editor of the nations premier pro-toll newsletter called TollRoadsNews.com, is also a Senior Fellow of a think tank that pushes for an almost "militant" privatization of toll roads - and privatization of just about everything else. That think tank is called the Reason Public Policy Institute.

Now, the Pro-Toll Peter Samuel speaks out and thrashes Perry's TxDOT in his newsletter,

"Heaven knows Texas DOT is vulnerable.

It has no coherent explanation for its project selection, or for the way tax and toll monies are mixed. It has been cavalier in proposing tolls on highways already funded - breaching a long-established piece of political wisdom about tolling.

TxDOT produces precious little analysis of costs and benefits, yet it is pressing ahead with a huge array of toll projects."

Texas Legal Foundation
710 West Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701

10/05/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Texas Legal Foundation (“TLF”) today filed suit on behalf of People for Efficient Transportation, Inc. against Governor Rick Perry, the Texas Department of Transportation, Capitol Area Metropolitan Transportation Organization (“CAMPO”) (www.campotexas.org) , and the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Transportation Organization (“SAMPO”) (www.sametroplan.org).

Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Steven W. Smith, who is TLF's president & general counsel, said: “The purpose of the lawsuit is to make these local public entities more accountable to the voters.”

David Rogers, TLF's policy director, said: “This lawsuit is exactly what the Texas Legal Foundation was chartered to do. A supermajority of Texans oppose tolls on taxpayer-funded highways, and want government to be accountable for toll decisions, but those desires have been ignored by government.”

Smith added: “Even though polls show that more than 80% of central Texans oppose the governor's toll-tax plan, CAMPO and SAMPO have repeatedly chosen to endorse that fundamentally flawed plan.”

In the suit, People for Efficient Transportation, the plaintiff, makes the following legal allegations: (1) Neither the governor nor the Texas Department of Transportation has authority under Texas law to create special districts like CAMPO and SAMPO; (2) Legislators serving on the CAMPO and SAMPO boards violate the separation of powers provision of the Texas Constitution; and (3) neither CAMPO nor SAMPO have authority under Texas law to appropriate the tens of millions of dollars they spend each year.

The plaintiff does not request injunctive relief at this time, but expects that the Legislature will respond to a declaratory judgment in the plaintiff's favor by adopting, in a timely manner, legislation that properly authorizes CAMPO and SAMPO. The plaintiff, TLF and others will pressure the Legislature to pass legislation that, in addition to fixing the constitutional flaws raised in the suit, makes those entities more accountable to the Texans they serve.

The Texas Legal Foundation is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advocate “conservative public policy positions that are held by a majority of Texas citizens but that have not been implemented by the government.”

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1:30pm - Kathleen was stopped by TxDOT on Hwy. 183 in between Luling and Gonzales -- to do a 4 minute survey. They had a laptop computer. They wanted to know things like what County she was from, where she was going, for what purpose, when was the last time she got out of her car.

They were stopping every 4th car and the traffic was all backed up. They did not give her the option of not doing the survey. Conducted by Mark Surveying Team and were doing it for TxDOT. The had a big sign a few miles before you get to them "Warning, Highway Traffic Survey Ahead."

TxDOT is putting an effort into using their clumsy charm and lies before they bring out the blackmail and fangs with Waco. TxDOT wants to toll part of I-35, an existing highway, with right of way Texans have already paid for. Like a half-baked tax vampire, Gov. Rick Perry's TxDOT is desperate to drain some daily tax dollars out of Texas families.

Thankfully, the blatant tolling bull hasn't won over Waco local officials. The Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization, a transportation planning group made up of area governments, voted last year to maintain toll-free interstate lanes only.

Yesterdays Waco Tribune reports more good wisdom from Waco:

"Russell Devorsky, chairman of the group's policy board and a member of the Bellmead City Council, said the department (TxDOT) shouldn't be in the business of profiting from existing roads.

When you have free public roadways that are already existing, I just don't believe in going back and tolling them, even the additional capacity,” Devorsky said. “I think we've already paid a public price through the eminent domain process” when the interstate highway was originally developed in the 1960s."