2/27/2008

New Lawsuit Filed Yesterday and Updates

Lawsuits move slower than a corpse,
but the good one's can pack a big punch.

In December 2005, PET Inc. (a group I founded) and AGUA, filed a lawsuit to stop the toll conversion of Hwy 281 in San Antonio. We figured it would buy about 2 years, and it did.

A second lawsuit was filed yesterday by AGUA and TURF represented by Save Our Springs Alliance, just in time to stop TxDOT again, as it was was ready to start up on 281 without a proper FULL study in hand. SA Express tells the story the best.

In 2005 we won our first lawsuit against the new toll authorities (RMA's). Judge Byrne ruled RMA's were unconstitutional and the CTRMA had to pay $19,331.98 (for the cost of what we had to pay for legal services).

But, in my opinion, the most important lawsuit we (PET, Inc) filed was against Gov. Perry and MPO's.

We won that one, but it's been stuck in appeals for the past year. I'd guess that suit will come back up in just a matter of weeks, and it will most likely pluck Sen. Watson and others from the CAMPO board.

How?

One of the prongs of the lawsuit claims that Legislators serving on MPO boards violate the separation of powers provision of the Texas Constitution. Legislators should not be serving on the MPO administrative boards. Stay tuned.

We've got another good lawsuit perched, cocked and ready to go for Central Texas - but as you know, timing is key. : )

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Listen here TxDOT, RMAs and all TollNazis in general: You defy the will of the people and you will get what you deserve in court. All of you who have sold your souls to the governor and foreign interests will get your day of reckoning. If you choose to seek re-election, the next go-around for all of you will be your last. The public outrage is spreading like a California wildfire and it will consume you.

You will be riding the sharp end of a pitchfork to your political graves. Oh woe to you fools who seek to deceive and deny the will of the people!!

Anonymous said...

...bravely said by the Anonymous!

Anonymous said...

TxDOT Brownshirt thug says:

"It's a shame that folks continue to want to keep the public in gridlock out there," said Smith, who's a planning engineer. "We've got a plan to solve the congestion."

Translated:
You idiot citizens of Texas are not nearly as smart as we are. It is your fault if you sit in traffic because you don't bow before us and give offerings to our toll god.

Well Herr Smith, we will not be taxed twice. It's a quite plain and simple idiology. It is called the rights of the people. But, like doomed regimes of the past, you have not learned that the will of the people shall not be abrogated by the State.

Your day is coming when TxDOT is a thing of the past. The more pressure you apply, the worse it will get. Be forewarned.

Anonymous said...

Is that you Mike Heileginstein?

I knew you read this blog! LOL

Anonymous said...

Any strategies being developed for the public testimony during the Sunset Review of TXDOT this Spring/Summer?

Anonymous said...

"Recently, Camp Allen, located in southern Grimes County, not only sent a letter to TxDot and Governor Rick Perry against the proposed route, but also posted an electronic petition on the camp's website at www.campallen.org. According to President George J. Dehan, the camp received 800 responses within the first 24 hours!

TxDot officials were reportedly unaware of the 1100-acre conference and retreat center that is visited by 42,000 people per year, and has been in existence since 1921."

TxDOT couldn't find their asses with the front of their hand. One further reason why TxDOT should be abolished.

Anonymous said...

I think that Mike Heiligenstein has voiced another threat in the above post.

If that's you , Mike....get bent, loser. If not, sorry sir.

Anonymous said...

WOW!! I had to laugh out loud in sheer joy when I read this post. Man you are serious business when it comes to taking action! Very inspiring; regardless of how this finally turns out -- which I hope and pray that "PHASE II" gets 100% cancelled and NO MORE toll roads get built in Austin any time soon!! The roads in PHASE II should be FREE expressways!

Sal Costello said...

No games here bro.

Serious as a heart attack, and smarter that your average politico crook.

Sounds like some folks might be showing up with signs tonight at Perry's book signing. They could use a couple others.

Someone said they will video tape it and place it on youtube for me to post on this blog.

: )