2/24/2006

BREAKING NEWS

GREAT PROGRESS WITH OUR LAWSUIT
AGAINST TOLLER GOV. PERRY!


People for Efficient Transportation vs.
Governor Rick Perry,

TxDOT, CAMPO & SAMPO

Our attorney, former Supreme Court Justice, Steve Smith, one of our endorsed champions in the Republican Primary, has done a stellar job fighting for accountability and our Texas families!

AUSTIN, TX - The defendants (Gov. Perry, TxDOT, CAMPO & SAMPO) filed pleas to the jurisdiction requesting that the lawsuit be dismissed. A hearing was held and the district court denied the defendants' request that the case be dismissed.

The Governor argued that the suit should be dismissed because of sovereign immunity: "Specifically, the Governor clearly has statutory authority under the Federal Act to make the Section 134 Designations. Consequently, the Governor enjoys immunity to any [declaratory judgment] challenge to the Section 134 Designations." The district court disagreed, finding that federal law does not empower the Governor to create MPOs. The resolution of one of the major issues in this case was therefore decided in favor of the plaintiffs, People for Efficient Transportation Inc. (PET).

TxDOT, CAMPO, & SAMPO argued that the suit should be dismissed because of the statute of limitations: "More than four years have expired since the Governor and TxDOT adopted rules with regard to MPOs and since CAMPO and SA-Bexar MPO were created. As a result, Plaintiff's declaratory judgment action is barred by limitations." The district court also rejected this argument, finding that the applicable limitations period began when members of PET members were injured, not when the MPOs were originally created. Since that was within the last two years, the suit is not barred by the statute of limitations.

All defendants argued that the plaintiff lacks standing to sue on behalf of its members. PET did not make any specific factual allegations regarding the issue of standing in its original petition. Under applicable rules of civil procedure, the district court required that PET amend its original petition within 30 days to add the necessary factual allegations regarding its standing to sue on behalf of its members. After amendment, the defendants may again raise the standing issue either by summary judgment or at trial.

Our suit began on 10/05/05. 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.
Steve Smith continues to work pro bono to fight for ACCOUNTABILITY.



9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You guys rock, and we appreciate you standing up for us. I've contributed to your fundraisers and will continue to, just keep up the good work!

Mike

Anonymous said...

I totally agree. I never contribute to anything, but I just gave to this cause because I sincerely believe we're gonna' win! Way to go Sal...it's just too damn bad that the rest of Austin want's to sit back and watch this happen to them.

Anonymous said...

I will continue to help you in your efforts to keep the thieves from giving away our public roads and other infrastructure to private parties. This is part of a plan to take away all of the public assets and charge us to use them.

Anonymous said...

My wife and I greatly appreciate all of your hard work in getting out the word on this issue. This really is a crime against Texans and we will contribute more to the cause. I have written legislators and let them know we will not support "tollers". This is exactly why Americans and Texans don't trust their government.

Please keep up the great work and we will support the local causes in the 1604/281 corridor in San Antonio. God Bless all of your work and all of the other hard working Texans trying to stop double taxation, secret meetings and lack of oversight. Terry Hall is fantastic and I hope she continues the fight.

Anonymous said...

WOW, What great success, I am so proud of Texas Toll Party. I will continue to support your work. Together we can defeat this.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Steve Smith and Sal Costello.

You guys are the real Dynamic Duo!

TTP Volunteer
Richard Reeves

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Lets send theses modern day carpet baggers packing. I'll try to contribute, but you will have my total suport.

Anonymous said...

I am a single women who works hard for her money I do not intend on letting Gov. Perry, or President Bush get rich off of me.. I'm working hard telling people to vote."To put Gov. Perry with his buddies out of a job"...Thank you Texas Toll party for your very hard work. Vote!!!

Sal Costello said...

http://www.texasinsider.org/local_news/Fresh_Ink_Steve_Smith_02_28_06_Endorsed_by_Policy_Holders_of_America.htm

Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Steve Smith endorsed by Policy Holders of America

Steve Smith has been endorsed by the three million member Policy Holders of America (“POA”) group, a non-partisan organization advocating for the interests of insurance policy holders in Texas and across the country. POA has over 500,000 members in Texas alone.

Melinda Ballard, President of Policy Holders of America, said “Once again, we are hearing BIG promises about insurance reform. Texas will never see real reform unless the foxes stop guarding the hen house and insurers no longer have a stranglehold over Texas' highest court. Former Justice Smith was and is the policyholder's best friend and has proven his ability to rein in insurance companies.

His opponent, Willett, is nothing more than an insurance lapdog. Willett is one big reason rate gouging and bad faith have become standard practice in Texas. This is why the biggest policyholder advocacy group in America is throwing its support to Steve Smith.”

Smith said “As Texas Supreme Court Justice, I employed a reasonable and balanced approach to the tort law cases that often divide the Court. If re-elected, I pledge to continue that reasonable and balanced approach.”