One week after TxDOT got a thrashing in the Senate transportation hearing, TxDOT is still postponing projects, still giving out the same excuses and still "sitting on" and refusing to use $9 Billion of approved bonds for free roads as they continue to postpone projects - a Texas sized hissy fit for not being able to sell toll roads to special interest pals.
According to a Corsicana Daily Sun article today, by reporter Janet Jacobs, TxDOT is suspending a project in Navarro County, as well as hundreds of other projects across Texas. I just spoke with Jabobs and she told me TxDOT gave her the interview YESTERDAY.
Interestingly enough, TxDOT gave every excuse in the book for the project being delayed, but they failed to tell the reporter about the $1 Billion dollar error.
2/15/2008
TxDOT Unfazed By Senate Beat Down.
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3 comments:
Has TxDOT suspended spending taxpayer money on their new hiree positions being given to pro-toll conspirators? Lieu substantive infra-structure construction and maintenance, has TxDOT suspended frivoulous spending on pro-toll advertising and lobbying paid to their no-bid financial supporters. Texas politicians and their appointees = best government money can buy!
TxDOT does NOT give a crap because there is no one who has ANY authority over the agency. It can do whatever it wants thanks to the governor and legislators like Mike Krusee and others who give TxDOT omnipotent power during the past several years.
The infamous Sunset Advisory Commissioner also will do nothing to harness the renegade agency because the commission is comprised of Perry "good ol' boys" who kiss his butt.
TxDOT lunacy and tyranny will outlive all of us!
PS
Anonymous II,
Not true...My post from 1/20/08:
Many folks are emailing me saying that the Sunset Review won't fix TxDOT.
I don't expect miracles, but I do expect change at TxDOT, and change is always good for us, especially when we created the dialog.
I am hopeful, and here's why...
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announced his appointments yesterday to the Sunset Advisory Commission. The appointments could be bad news for TxDOT, says the Dallas Blog article. Click on the new appointments below to see where they stand:
Sen. Glenn Hegar as Vice Chair (ran against TTC)
Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
Michael Stevens (public appointee - part of task force that released critical report on TxDOT in 2006)
Hegar, Stevens, and Hinojosa join Sen. Bob Deuell, Sen. Kim Brimer, and Sen. Craig Estes.
Some of the members that were not mentioned in the article, that I was told last week by Sunset are also on the commission, include these Reps appointed by Craddick:
Rep Linda Harper-Brown (had a couple battles with TxDOT and Williamson)
Rep. Lois W. Kolkhorst (one of the most outspoken Reps against the TTC!)
Rep. Carl Isett as Chair (Pro TTC? Maybe he'll see the light)
Rep. Ruth McClendon
Rep. Dan Flynn
When I spoke with a staff member of the Sunset Review last week I was surprised that they knew my name and had been reading this Muckraker blog. Here are a couple other items I found out...
The process will stretch into 2009. First the comments are due (next Monday). Then a report is put together by the Sunset staff with recommendations. The public hearings then take place. The commission decides on recommendations to the ledge. The agency is abolished or a bill is created and filed with the ledge to modify the agency. If the bill passes, the agency is modified. If the bill fails, the agency is automatically abolished.
The Sunset process has streamlined and changed state government. Since Sunset’s inception in 1978, 52 agencies have been abolished and another 12 agencies have been consolidated.
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