Transportation a Hot Topic in Interim Charges

Thanks to Lt. Gov. Dewhurst interim charges, which were released Jan 30th, TxDOT's transportation policy will be under scrutiny this year, according to a new article from Lone Star Report:

In addition, both committees will take a microscope to TxDOT’s spending habits. The agency has been criticized for hiring lobbyists and spending money on Gov. Rick Perry’s pollster Mike Baselice for conducting polling for the agency.

Dewhurst’s joint interim charge instructs the committee and the Senate Finance committee to study whether TxDOT “is in compliance with Transportation Code 201.109, Revenue Enhancement, and whether the Texas Department of Transportation is using the funding sources provided by the Legislature, including, but not limited to, General Obligation, Fund 6 and Mobility Fund bonds, to build new roads.”

The first big hearing is this Tuesday, the 5th, when Senate committees will be asking TxDOT a lot of questions about diverting tax dollars.