Sen. Watson Charges Forward with Impotent Legislation.

Sen. Kirk Watson Joins Forces with
Toller Rep. Mark Strama to
file Impotent Toll Legislation.

Sen. Watson, the father of diverting tax dollars for toll roads (diverted more than $67 million bond dollars, intended for free roads, into toll roads) is trying to fool the public again.

Watson’s anemic bill (SB 668) would have MPO’s approve toll authority plans and try to forbid TxDOT from showing preferences to regions that don’t toll.

Sen. Watson has been strutting like a peacock, trying to sell the bill as the progress the public craves. The Stateman's article last week:

Other provisions of the proposal would allow local governments to be reimbursed for money they put into road projects that later become toll roads and would require the approval of metropolitan planning organizations on many decisions involving toll roads that the regional authorities now make by themselves.

In addition, the governing boards over local toll projects would have to include at least one elected official, and they would have to file an annual financial report detailing data about planned and existing toll roads.

"We need to have people accountable to the voters" on the regional authorities, he said. "There's a need for people to feel like the decisions are made in the open. . . . This bill would do that."

The public hasn't asked for accountable double tax tolls, it's asked politicos like Watson to stop tolling tax funded roads!

Watson's bill doesn't stop the freeway thieves, but it allows more crooks at the revenue generating table. The bill is the equivalent of asking tollers to wipe their feet on the doormat before they take our roads. It's kind of like going to war with two slingshots and a mildly retarded pal.

The fact is, the bill places more power into the hands of Watson himself. As chair of the MPO in Central Texas, Watson altered the local MPO rules in January to give himself all the power on that board. MPO board members can’t even place an item on the agenda, if it’s not approved by Watson and his hand picked executive committee.

The gatekeeper, Watson, has yet to allowed ANY citizens at the table of his new "Phase II" task committee. Why not? To re-sell the toll roads to us, Watson and fellow tollers must repackage the toll plans - without using the nasty "toll" word. Managed lanes is the new improved word for tolls. TxDOT is already out there selling managed lanes without using the "T" word - CLICK HERE, this Austin Business Journal is a must read.

State Rep. Mark Strama (who voted to toll roads we've already paid for in 2005) filed HB 1574 last week, the House version of Senator Kirk Watson’s SB 668. Strama released the following statement:

“This bill incorporates many of the fundamental principles that I believe should govern toll roads - transparency, accountability, fairness, and efficiency. I’ve been discussing these principles with my constituents, with transportation planners, and with Senator Watson for over a year, and I’m pleased to join Senator Watson in offering this legislation."

In contrast, Rep. Leibowitz, and Rep. Coleman have filed real bills that will really stop toll roads.

Tricking the public and amassing more contributions from the special interests will allow Watson to run for Gov, some years down the road. When you're a millionaire with a napoleon complex, and you have nothing else to do, why the hell not?