PODER and LULAC gave a fantastic presence last night, before and during CAMPO's hearing. They held a press conference with 3-4 news outlets at 5:30. Here is the text of the Fox news report that was broadcast last night.
PODER's Co-Director, Susana Almanza, directed her comments to CAMPO (full speech here):
"PODER is here today to state for the public record that we oppose toll roads for East Austin. The Current Phase II Toll Road plans calls for 6 times as many freeway toll lanes miles in East Austin, than West Austin. This is a clear case of environmental and economic racism!
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez voted to NOT toll roads we've already paid for, while Rep. Dawnna Dukes (payolla documented here) and others voted to toll tax funded freeways.According to President Clinton’s Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, Public agencies such as the Transportation Department must identify and avoid “disproportionately high and adverse” effects on minority and low-income populations. Keeping tolls roads for US 290 East, US 183 and SH 71 will impact low-income and people of color communities. Again, removing proposed toll roads for west Austin and shifting the burden to East Austin roads violates Executive Order 12898 and Title VI of the 1964 Rights Act."
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