Gov Perry's Highway Robbery Lies

Dear Dallas News Editor,

Governor Perry can’t tell the truth about his double tax toll plans.

In a Dallas Morning News article with columnist William McKenzie and readers, Re: Candidate chat: Rick Perry, 7/13/06, Perry just can’t seem to own up to the reality he created.

Perry said, “...we will not put a toll on lanes that are toll-free today, unless local people want that.”

That is hogwash. Perry’s TxDOT is privatizing and tolling public highways for the first time in the United States.

In Austin, there are people driving on taxpayer funded Hwy 71 and US 183 lanes today, that are planned to be tolled roads. 121 in Dallas will also open as a taxpayer funded freeway, then months later, it too will be tolled.

And here in Austin, we don’t want our freeways tolled. In 2004, 93% of the public feedback, that our MPO asked for in 2004, opposed Perrys double tax toll plan.

Sal Costello
Founder of People for Efficient Transportation
Austin, TX