In February, we had Sunset Review member Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa blast TxDOT.
Now, we have another powerful Sunset Review member stepping up! Rep. Linda Harper-Brown. This is good news, as the Sunset Review board could severly alter TxDOT as we know it, or even chuck it and start fresh with a new agency! Stay tuned to this blog for the latest. Expect a public hearing soon, and please plan to go.
See who else is on the committee, and how they might feel about TxDOT, here an article I did in January called, "TxDOT critics appointed to Sunset Advisory Commission".
Texas Transportation
Department
By GORDON DICKSON, Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH -- The Texas Department of Transportation has done more harm to the public's trust of state government than any other agency and needs to be overhauled, Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving, said Wednesday.
Harper-Brown also told the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition on Wednesday that the Transportation Department has failed to build roads necessary to reduce congestion, and has overstated its financial problems to win public support for toll roads.
"TxDot used to be a premier agency in America. It's not any more. Other states have better roads," Harper-Brown told the group.
Harper-Brown is a member of the Sunset Review Commission, which periodically reviews state agencies to determine whether they're still necessary. Commission members are expected to grill Transportation Department officials during hearings this summer.
Harper-Brown said she is researching how agencies in states such as Florida build and manage their transportation projects while sticking to firm deadlines and keeping lawmakers and the public informed about finances.She said the Texas Transportation Department lacks transparency about its finances and often refuses to answer basic questions from lawmakers. "If there is not a major change at TxDot, I'm not sure the Legislature will vote to give them more money."
Read the rest of the article HERE.
4 comments:
Self-serving special interests within TxDOT need to be replaced. Who has been held accountable and fired for the billion dollar oversight by TxDOT? Disingenuous collaborators such as the self-appointed "King Dick #1 (a.k.a Mr.39%)" Perry need to be removed from their positions of responsibility, sooner rather than later.
"The Texas Department of Transportation has done more harm to the public's trust of state government than any other agency and needs to be overhauled."
Good one.
Methinks our gasbag politicians (especially those from the DFW Area) protest too loudly.
I would argue that THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE --has done the most to damage the public's trust...
--THEY approve Perry's political appointments on the Transportation Commission
--THEY passed the enabling legislation for the TTC, expansion of eminent domain, and toll road privatization.
--THEY roll over like lapdogs to Perry's veto threats
--THEY have done little more than obfuscate, make excuses and create political theater (while passing even MORE enabling legislation) for THE LAST TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS!
The public sees who they represent, and it ain't us. TxDOT is just a convenient foil.
It is the Texas Legislature who needs an overhaul. 39% Perry needs to be impeached.
Porkus,
I swear, I think sometimes we were separated at birth. Great post!
Yes, the Ledge needs a Sunset Review.
Perhaps each of us can do that most simply by remembering this when we walk in the voting booth:
"When in doubt, vote em out".
At the moment, all we have is this silly dance the Ledge does with TxDOT. Where some Ledge folks are stepping up (for limelight or for real) to give TxDOT the pinata treatment. That's a good thing.
So, unless you've got a gun and a lot of free time (like the rest of your life), grab some popcorn and let King Kong and Godzilla fight it out. That's efficiency!
Your Pal Sal
: )
"gasbag politicians"
LOL
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