TxDOT, the Tax Vampire is powerless to toll I-35 when Waco, TX has no fear.

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."

Central Texas falls for TxDOT lame lies.
In 2004, TxDOT's Central Texas District Engineer Bob Daigh lied through his crooked fangs to the public and the local MPO in Central Texas. His lie was intended to frighten the Central Texas elected fools into voting for tolls, because the additional gas tax needed would just be too high for people to accept. The Central Texas officials bought his lie - hook, line and sinker. Bob Daigh said, in numerous public meetings, and a CTRMA press release in 2004, "...the alternative of paying a $2 to $3 per-gallon additional gas tax would never be accepted."

Then the truth came out. Just months ago, in 2005, CAMPO Executive Director, Michael Aulick, estimated it would only cost an additional 2 cents per-gallon in local gas tax to build all the roads in the plan as free roads. 2 cents is a universe away from $2 to $3 dollars.

The moral of the story? Don't buy what Perry's TxDOT is selling.

Get empowered.
Do the Toll Poll.

How can they Toll our Interstates?
Who voted for THAT?