URS Screw Up Costs TAXPAYERS $260,000

URS, Cap Metro and Brewster McCracken haven't got a clue,
but they sure know how to flush our money down the crapper.

This Statesman article headline, “A bridge too low costs Cap Metro $260,000” says Cap Metro (Austin's fat bus service that absorbs 1 per cent of every dollar spent in the city) will pay for the $260,000 error. But, Cap Metro is funded by us, the taxpayers. I think my headline above is more honest...don't you?

So it looks like taxpayers will pay for a design error made by the design contractor, URS - URS, who is getting paid $3.3 million for the project, screwed up with some measurements for a rail track and overpass.

URS said they will not charge for the redesign, which to me is an admission that they made the mistake.

According to the article, when asked who was to blame for the error (Capital Metro or URS) Cap Metro said that would be determined later. Later? That means we'll pay, and someone most probably gets a new boat for letting URS off the hook.

According to the article, Austin Council member and Cap Metro board member Brewster “Toller” McCracken claims he didn’t know anything about the mistake.

URS also does toll road traffic forecasting - it has one of the most disturbing records of inflating traffic forecasts in the industry. Brewster McCracken’s Toll Road study hired URS to fluff up numbers in 2006. McCracken’s failed study, which cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars, is yet another shining example of how they throw our money away.

Rep. Lon Burnam reply on SB 792

Rep. Lon Burnam, one of the 19 who said no to the fake moritorium (SB 792), sends out this reply email:

Thank you for your recent email concerning SB 792. The bill did pass both the House and the Senate and has been sent to the Governor for his action. I did not vote for the bill because, notwithstanding some positive changes made to the original bill which does freeze the building of some private toll roads, this bill still allows for privately-financed tolls roads to be constructed.

I am opposed to this concept because the Transportation Commission provides inadequate oversight over the private companies, and it could mean that Texas drivers will be paying tolls for years after the roads have been paid for.

Again, thank you for your correspondence. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding your legislative concerns.

Best regards,
Lon Burnam

Red Light Camera Scam Tickets The Innocent

Toll Road Officials Fired After Off the Books Party Account Found.

The scary thing is that the Toll Road Authority (and TxDOT) refuse to see the corruption all around them. Isn't it nice to know that our gas taxes and tolls are paying for their picnics, after the contractor builds in the cost of the picnic with the next job. Too bad they forgot to invite us.

These guys play with billions of dollars of our money and our clueless as to how to spend it wisely. IT'S A CORRUPT SYSTEM WITH NO OVERSIGHT. It would be very interesting to peel back a few more layers of the onion and what else rots.

These folks were forced to resign - they were fired.

A great article by Rad and Paige...

By PAIGE HEWITT and RAD SALLEE
Houston Chronicle

Contractors doing business with the county paid thousands of dollars for a picnic for Harris County Toll Road Authority employees last year and were about to be asked to do so again, officials with the county and district attorney's office said Monday.

Details, including plans to recognize vendors as gold- or platinum-level donors based on how much money they contributed to this year's picnic, were confirmed Monday in response to questions about the abrupt retirement of Toll Road Authority Executive Director Mike Strech last Thursday.

Strech, who headed the agency for six years, and his executive assistant Diana Wilcox, quit after being confronted about the planned solicitation, Harris County Public Infrastructure Department Director Art Storey said.

The annual event was held last year at SplashTown in Spring and was scheduled there for mid-July until county officials canceled it. Storey described the party as a long-standing event typical of the authority's "culture."

"If somebody who hasn't been part of that culture observed things that were perceived to be normal there, they might say, 'Gee that looks bad — that's questionable, that's borderline illegal,' " Storey said. "It's not people knowingly acting wrong. It's people who don't know any better, and we're going to fix that."

Strech, 67, who worked worked for the Toll Road Authority for 16 years, declined to comment Monday, except to say the picnic was a tradition and that he planned to "enjoy my retirement."

Wilcox could not be reached for comment.

Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal said an investigation by his office found no criminal wrongdoing.

"It would be a violation if the vendors were being solicited to do this in order to get contracts for the toll road," Rosenthal said.

"Nobody that we talked to felt armed-twisted to make any contributions," he said. "We looked into a bunch of records and found...that there was nothing criminal that could be proven."

However, Rosenthal added, the county auditor's office is looking into the matter.

"If the auditors find something, I'm sure they'll come back to us," he said.

Storey said he consulted County Attorney Mike Stafford after toll road staff called his attention to an in-house e-mail from Wilcox about the upcoming event.

Storey said he had told Strech last year not to accept vendor gifts for the next picnic, then learned that this was apparently planned. Storey said that when he asked Strech about it, the director showed him a draft of a letter to be sent to vendors.

District attorney's investigator Dan McAnulty said vendors were classified as bronze-, silver-, gold- and platinum-level contributors for gifts ranging from $500 to $5,000.

Similar letters signed by Strech were to be sent to several companies, each doing at least $100,000 in annual business with the county, McAnulty said.

He and Storey declined to name the companies, but Storey said most are engineering firms that are hired on the basis of credentials instead of the sealed bids used for construction contracts.

Storey emphasized that Strech neither had nor claimed any authority to award contracts, which are approved solely by vote of Commissioners Court.

McAnulty said donations were placed in a Bank of America account in the name of the Toll Road Authority Celebration Committee, which he described as a "social committee" set up last year.

Such an account is "clearly improper because it was off the county's books" and would not be noticed in a county audit, Stafford said.

About $15,000 was in the account, apparently left over from last year's party at SplashTown, for which $60,000 had been collected — and $45,000 spent — from 29 contributors, McAnulty said.

He said about 1,400 people attended that event, including HCTRA employees and guests of vendors, who received tickets based on their contributions.

Although the Texas Penal Code forbids gifts to a public servant, the recipient would need to "exercise discretion in regards" to contracts or purchases for that to apply. Storey said neither Strech nor the celebration committee members had that power.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said huge parties by the Toll Road Authority and its vendors were nothing new.

When the Sam Houston Tollway was completed, he said, there was a large crowd "rocking" to a band on one of the towering ramps, and some observers "got to worrying that the thing would collapse."

Before 2006, McAnulty said, the annual picnic was held at a local ranch, with vendors writing checks directly to the ranch. But last year, he said, the committee's bank account was opened to receive contributions.

It was not immediately known how much SplashTown may want from the county for booking, then canceling, the event. Storey said he understands the county will contend that the contract is invalid because Strech lacked the authority to sign for the county.

Storey said he has named Gary Stobb, the infrastructure department's director of planning and operations, to serve as interim director of HCTRA. In previous years he also assigned two other infrastructure officials, Ronald Krafka and Peter Key, to jobs at the toll authority.

Storey said he sent out a message addressed to "vendors, suppliers, consultants and sales executives."

It advises them, among other things, to "never make a monetary gift" without his permission, to any of the agency's staff "for any purpose whatever, no matter how worthy the purpose intended."

AND MAKE SURE YOU READ THE COMMENTS HERE.

Toll Road accidents cost taxpayers as private toll road operator profits

Perry's Office Sees NO Toll Moratorium At All

by Patrick Driscoll
San Antonio Express-News

Now that legislators have gone home and trumpeted how they passed a bill to freeze private financing of toll roads, the governor's office has some bubble-busting news.

There isn't much of a moratorium in Senate Bill 792.

"Of any kind, that we can tell," said Robert Black, spokesman for Gov. Rick Perry. "Unless there was something screwy that happened." Read the rest of the article HERE.

Perry Stared Down Legislative Blitz

by Ben Wear
Austin American-Statesman

You may have heard that the Legislature this session approved a moratorium on toll roads. If so, you heard wrong. No legislators that I ran into this session wanted to snuff out tollways.

Or you might have heard or read that lawmakers passed a moratorium on long-term toll road leases with private companies. This is true, but only in the most qualified sense.

This prohibition — contained in Senate Bill 792, which Gov. Rick Perry hasn't yet signed but almost certainly will when he makes it back from Turkey — is perforated with exceptions. Read the rest of the Statesman article HERE.

Taxpayers Pay for Cops to Crack Down on Toll Cheats.

By Eye on Williamson County

KXAN is reporting that Cedar Park Police will be stopping drivers without TxTags who fail to pay the $1.50 toll at the 183-A plaza.

Those pulled over Friday for not having a tag said there were not enough warning signs leading to the highway, and part of the toll road accepts TxTags only, no cash.

Cedar Park Police Chief Harry Fluck announced the crackdown today.

Left unexplained was the rationale behind diverting law enforcement resources from other priorities in order to help the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) collect tolls. Since the CTRMA is responsible for operating the 183-A toll road, taxpayers in Cedar Park should not be subsidizing the toll collection apparatus. READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

DALLAS NEWS: "...the highest toll in the nation just to leave the city limits."

NOT PART OF THE ULTRA-ELITE?

DEPRESSED BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T INVITED?

YOU AND THE PRESS ARE NOT PART OF
THE ULTRA-ELITE LIKE MR. 39%?

The next best thing: Get your own Secret "Bilderberg" Conference Items right here! - T-Shirts, Dog T's, Clocks and Mugs all on CafePress - right here at http://www.cafepress.com/Bilderberg

TX Gov. Rick Perry Attends Secret Bilderberg Conference

A stated by Burnt Orange Report:

"Yes, I'm sure he's flying all the way to Turkey to discuss something as lame as "state-federal relations". I'm sure there wouldn't happen to be any of the folks from the Spanish toll-road interests that stand to gain billions in investment from his TTC scheme."

ANOTHER COALITION PARTNER SPEAKS OUT AGAINST FAKE TOLL MORATORIUM BILL

I received yet another email, from yet another important SB 792 coalition partner that CorridorWatch flipped on:

“Thanks for speaking the truth. I agree with your assessment. I think we need a much more involved process among anti-toll leaders or King Perry and court will pave right over us.

I had rather loose than accept a lie.”

As I reported last week, CorridorWatch did a flip-flop, at the last minute, with coalition partners and unilaterally supported SB 792 without amendment 13 - which was not our agreement (13 would have given us a real TTC toll moratorium).

Gov. Perry (Mr. 39%) got involved with SB 792 - after he eyed the real moratorium's dirt nap (HB 1892) - although some still ignorantly call SB 792 a moratorium bill, Perry made it a pro-toll bill with language that allows dozens of local authorities in Texas to run wild and sell our freeways off as tollways.

Tollway Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Perry (and Krusee)

From an InThePinkTexas blog reader.

TxDot executive director, Michael Behrens, to resign in August

Perry off to secret forum in Turkey

Turkey flies to Turkey for Secret Conference

The Dallas News just reported that Mr. 39% is “flying to Istanbul, Turkey, today to speak at the super-secret Bilderberg Conference, a meeting of about 130 international leaders”. The article states:

“Those who attend promise not to reveal what was discussed, security is tight, and the press and public are barred.”

The by-invitation-only elite secret society of central bankers, defense experts, mass media press barons, legislators, and CEOs from around the world will meet behind closed doors to advance their global agenda. Included in the batch of “big-wigs” is a group from Spain. Can CINTRA/TxDOT Tolls Roads be very far behind?

As of today, Perry has yet to sign his SB 792 fake toll moratorium bill, perhaps he'll forget about it. Perry says exemptions in SB 792 allow important toll road projects to continue - no kidding, someone tell CW. Perry denies he had promised anyone to sign the bill.

This CNN VIDEO and another clip from the History Channel discusses Bilderberg plans for "New World Order".

Another Blogger asks if Perry's visit violates the law, with "Rick Perry's Bilderberg Visit Violation Of Logan Act?"

THIS ROSE STINKS!

Rep. Patrick Rose of Hays County has been a thorn in my side for years. Rose is a straight up liar.

Back in 2004, our group endorsed Rose because his questionnaire stated that he’d fight freeway tolls. Then after he got elected, that liar voted FOR Mike Krusee's freeway tolls every time. Rose is a little man with big lies (he’s super short like Sen. Kirk Watson - about 5 foot 4ish).

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY TXDOT RESEAL

Citizens have had a long fight with TxDOT and Rep Patrick Rose to get FM 1826 resurfaced after they ruined a perfectly good road with a very poor quality reseal in 2006. The road was much noisier and much less safe than it ever was. Citizens said the road was fine before they ruined it out of spite for not accepting toll roads - they demanded a quality reseal to fix the damage.

For months, TxDOT claimed there was nothing wrong with the very loud and dangerous road.

At the last Citizen/TxDOT meeting, just weeks ago, TxDOT and Rose told citizens that FM 1826 would NOT be repaved, in the hopes that the taxpayers would get tired, give up and stop complaining.

A TRUE CITIZEN VICTORY

But just last week, after a formal complaint by Peter Stern to the Senate Committee on Transportation, political pressure finally paid off as TxDOT was TOLD by the Committee to stand down and resurface FM 1826 properly. No thanks to Rep. Rose who said nothing to help residents.

SNAKE REP. ROSE STEALS THE GLORY

That snake Rep. Rose, after the citizens did all the work, actually had the nuts to tell the Dripping Springs News-Dispatch that he initiated the deal to fix the road!

Read all about it HERE at Peter Stern's Blog.

This Rose stinks, and he needs to be removed like the cancer that he is. Start telling your co-workers, neighbors, family and friends about your local snake, that needs to go.

Macquarie Bank: A 'house of cards.'

NASCO Annual Conference Starts Today

SPEAK UP OR BE SPOKEN FOR!

Bravo to David Price of Austin for getting a letter to the editor published in the Statesman. I don't know David personally, but I looked him up in our database and he's a member of TexasTollParty.com for almost 2 years.

YOU can help educate many thousands of Texans in minutes as well - just send a letter to your editor as an email! Make it 150 words or less, include your name, address and phone number for verification. Click here to find YOUR local newspaper(s).

David's letter as published in the Statesman yesterday:

"Paying for roads

I do not think we should be paying for toll roads, period. I think roads across the entire state should be financed by the tax on gasoline, with the areas of highest need getting the most funds. This system worked for years, resulting in a great highway system in Texas.

My knee-jerk reaction when I hear that toll roads are a better way to finance roads is to put a hand on my wallet. Public transportation should be for the benefit of all, with costs spread across the entire state.

I am incensed that existing roads are being considered for "managed lanes." Didn't we pay for these roads already?

I would certainly prefer to pay five or 10 cents more per gallon, which equates to $150 per year versus the $20 per week our local toll roads cost me.

DAVID PRICE
Austin"

New Jersey Supreme Court Reinstates Toll Booth Gunman

North Carolina City Drops Red Light Camera Following Death

Mr. 39% Mug!

Tricky Ricky only won his last election by 39% of the vote!

As of last week, Mr. 39% stars in his own YOUTUBE VIDEO, and now he's got his own Mr. 39% mug at CafePress - Order HERE (perfect for fathers day!)

Gov. Rick Perry likes to steal our public highways and sell them as toll roads to his contributers (and he's been pushing his TTC land grab).

STATESMAN BLOG: SB 792, the fake moratorium bill, sits on the governor's desk

House passes counterfeit moratorium, 19 reps try to avert “market-based” toll disaster!

EYE ON WILLIAMSON: The “Moratorium” - What Have We Got?

UPDATED: THE TRUTH ABOUT SB 792 HURTS (So you might not want to read this article)

SB 792 passes the House and Senate. Governor Perry, who injected new unaccountable toll schemes into SB 792, will sign his bill soon.

But, what is 792 really? It’s lipstick on a pig.

If you want to know more, I need to tell you what went down behind the scenes.

Did you ever see the movie “Memento”?

It’s one of my favorite movies. Memento tells the fantastic story of how many of us will go to great lengths to ignore the truth. We will even try to fool ourselves, because the truth just cuts too deep.

First off, none of us are perfect, I’m certainly not. But, I’ve got a special knack for smelling horseshit, especially when it’s sitting in front of me, with stink lines radiating from it.

Some tell me I’m burning a bridge by telling you the truth, but as far as I’m concerned, that bridge was burned by others, when the events below took place.

CorridorWatch, one of the many groups in Texas fighting the TTC, of which I’ve always had enormous respect for, invested a lot of time into trying to lead a coaltition effort to get a 2 year moratorium passed in this session.

HB 1892, with all our help, was voted on almost unanimously by the house and senate, well enough for a veto override. That would have been an embarrassment to the governor, so Perry invested a lot of work into SB 792, and he slipped in a few poison pills.

THE MARBLE HELL HOLE EFFECT?

I believe somehow, CorridorWatch lost their way, in the common deception and seduction of the marble hell hole, otherwise known as our state capitol.

Our citizen group and other groups across Texas stepped up to try and get Amendment 13 passed as part of SB 792. Our main focus at the time was Amendment 13, which would have closed some gaping loopholes to make 792 a real moratorium.

We didn’t realize the crap Perry slipped into 792, until 7-10 days ago, since the bill was created behind closed doors, without public hearings. And our representatives, who care more about their summer vacations than getting the job done right in a special session this summer, certainly don't care.

We followed the lead of CorridorWatch and TOGETHER, coalition groups sent thousands of faxes, emails and phone calls to capitol representatives demanding, “Amendment 13 or Vote NO on 792”. It's important to note our groups contribution is substantial, with 10-15 times the member list of the CorridorWatch list.

The sentence below is printed (with all capital letters and underlined) on the forms CorridorWatch provided for all coalition members to send to capitol offices:

“WITHOUT AMENDMENT 13 PLEASE OBJECT AND VOTE NO ON SB792”

Well, we didn’t get Amendment 13.

Most would assume we’d all stick to our guns, and our word, and continue to tell our representatives vote NO on 792, since 13 was killed - since that is what our crystal clear agreement was.

Right?

UP IS DOWN AND DOWN IS UP?

But, in a strange twist of events, after 13 was killed, CorridorWatch started to send letters of support to capitol offices, and started to tell coalition members and it’s own members, that we should support SB 792.

A couple of the coalition partners, including myself and Terri Halls group, questioned this flip-flop.

CorridorWatch said they didn’t believe we couldn’t stop SB 792 so they wanted to support the bill.

Yet another coalition member said this, "I also was confused with Corridor Watch's 180 degree change. The no compromising strong strategy of “Amendment 13 or Vote NO on 792” was one I understood and agreed with," and "...to unilaterally change the strategy when they saw "no chance of success" didn't seem right to me."

Some of us were shocked, a couple others blindly follow CorridorWatch claiming “they have the expertise”. But honesty and fairness has zero to do with expertise. What about having democratic consensus among the coalition partners when one of the partners is considering a 180 degree change? Not for CorridorWatch.

Personally, I always believed when you step up to fight, you fight for what’s right, not for the side we think might win.

CorridorWatch also said they had made a couple of friends at the capitol that they didn’t want to let down, so we should support 792. But, what about whats right for Texans and the thousands of people we asked to say 13 or no way?

SB 792 IS A SHAM. PERIOD.

The simple fact is SB 792, a so called 2 year moratorium compromise bill, doesn't stop one toll road that's planned in the next 2 years. NOT ONE ROAD! ALL THE TOLL ROADS PLANNED ARE EXEMPTED. And at the last minute, Wentworth, Uresti, Van De Putte, Zaffirini, and highway lobbyists dragged an amendment that would have saved San Antonio’s 1604 from 792!

The Governor is already bragging about 792, and the press is calling it something it certainly is not, a “Freeze on private toll roads”. And CorridorWatch is calling it a “Moratorium”. BUT, IT’S A MORATORIUM ON NOTHING.

It gets even worse.

SB 792 makes the theft of our roads easier as numerous local authorities, dozens of them like mini-txdots, can sell our freeways out from under us. Just like public highway 121 in Dallas is being given to Cintra as a toll road. The previous construction of 121, as part of the Cintra deal, includes $700 million worth of construction plus the cost of the right of way we’ve paid for over the decades according to reporter Tony Hartzel. And the 121 path that was intended to be a freeway, creates a priceless monopoly for Cintra, which has ties to Perry.

In response to concerns of TxDOT being multiplied by many dozens, CorridorWatch had the nerve to tell some coalition members via email that we just need to work a lot harder to stop the dozens of mini-txdots across Texas.

Thanks - like we didn't have enough work to do.

Perry’s "market valuation", that he injected into 792, will allow our freeways to be shifted to tollways faster - tolls will cost the most, without public hearings and without human, social, economic, health and environmental impacts studies.

SB 792 HAS BENEFITS...AND WE’VE GOT SOME SWAMPLAND TO SELL YOU.

CorridorWatch has been sending out a long list of SB 792 fluffed up benefits to it’s members and coalition members. The hard truth is - all of these benefits and studies are 100% unenforceable. And that's why Gov. Perry is happy to sign 792.

SB 792 was created behind closed doors for the naive to buy hook line and sinker - a compromising proposition that is desired by Perry and his band of merry cohorts, and our representatives who prefer the unaccountable taxation of shifting freeway into tollways.

JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE NEEDS TO GO except these folks in the house that voted against 792...

THE GOOD GUYS AND GALS WHO SAID NO TO COUNTERFEIT MORATORIUM:

Reps: Garnet Coleman, Nathan Macias, David Leibowitz, Lon Burnam, Joaquin Castro, Joe Farias, Jessica Farrar, Stephen Frost, Ana Hernandez, Jodie Laubenberg, Trey Martinez Fischer, Ruth McClendon, Sid Miller, Ken Paxton, Robert Puente, Joe Straus, Senfronia Thompson, Marc Veasey, and Mike Villarreal.

In the last few days CorridorWatch didn’t think we could stop 792. One night last week, CorridorWatch sent an email to the coalition partners agreeing that we needed to stop 792, but minutes later changed their minds claiming they didn’t want to let a couple of capitol representatives down.

OK, CorridorWatch could have just sat back. But, instead, even after the bill passed, they continue to try to sell the unenforceable benefits of 792 to citizens, while glossing over the problems that are unleashed with Gov. Perry’s new tools.

CorridorWatch told those of us who disagree with them that we need to trust our representatives to make everything right. I’ve heard that line a hundred times. I’ll say this to my representatives, “do the right thing or get fired, you work for us”.

Misleading actions, and the hope that we can learn something is why I was moved to write this unpleasant article about my former coalition partners. Honesty hurts at times and some folks won’t be happy with me for speaking the truth. Too bad.

LET’S GET REAL.

I believe we citizens need a stronger foundation, and a lot more honesty and will power, to win this war. We also need a lot more people involved in what should be a much more democratic process - especially at the grassroots level.

Our families will be the ones who pay and pay and pay. As for Gov Rick Perry, he’s grinning ear to ear, because CorridorWatch is out there selling his new unaccountable schemes for him. At times the devil can make a chump out of almost anyone.

Well played Mr. 39%.

What do you think?
Sound off in the "comments" area.

Is Macquarie Bank the Enron of Toll Roads?

UPDATED: Toll Moratorium (SB 792) Is A Sham - AND HOW YOU CAN HELP STOP IT TODAY.

Our representatives would rather have a summer vacation than
do the states business properly with a special session.

UPDATES IN GREEN

The so called toll moratorium, Gov. Perry's SB 792, actually makes things worse for Texans as it allows local authorities to have the same powers we were trying to take away from TxDOT. THIS HORRIBLE BILL WILL BE VOTED ON LATE SATURDAY (TODAY). TAKE ACTION NOW - SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE.

That means a bunch of mini TxDOT's out there being able to sell our public highways (freeways) to private companies as toll roads. And, the new “market valuations” in 792 just tightens the noose.

This compromise bill injects “market valuations” into PUBLIC toll projects, which equals the highest possible tolls!

No wonder why Mr. 39% likes this sham of a bill. And, Perry can claim he signed the toll moratorium bill on the campaign trail when he runs in 2010, to inoculate himself from his dreaded TTC and freeway tolls.

Citizens who think this is a toll moratorium have been sold a bill of goods. Without amendment #13, it's full of loop holes. 792 also includes more ways to shift our freeways to tollways.

SB 792 INCREASES UNACCOUNTABILITY!

Under SB 792, ALL TOLL PROJECTS MUST USE "market valuation" (Sec 228.0111) to set toll rates and toll escalation. Those monies WILL NOT BE REGULATED BY NEPA. Therefore, TxDOT will have a WHOLE NEW UNREGULATED revenue stream to possibly build highways:

• WITHOUT a PUBLIC HEARING
• WITHOUT studying the human, social, economic, health and environmental impacts
• WITHOUT studying alternatives

Proof The Moratorium Is A Sham - Perry is FOR it:

“Today’s action ensures that Texas will continue to have the tools needed to support the states booming population and economic growth,” Perry spokeswoman Krista Moody said.”

Tip to Eye on WilCo

The Will Lutz article about SB 792. “Does the Toll Road Bill Repeat Mistakes of 2003?”, says it best:

“A further flaw is it allows continuation of current policy, whereby the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) may require up-front “concession fees” in exchange for building some new toll projects. The tolls that pay these concession fees are taxes, not user fees, because concession fees result in tolls over and above the amount required to build and maintain the road. Since the fees are paid back over time from toll revenue, it increases the burden of debt on our children and grandchildren.

In short, concession fees, which are continued by the “market valuation” language in SB 792, allow the government to raise taxes and do off-budget spending in a manner concealed to the public and without proper legislative oversight and authorization.”

So, what should our Representatives do now?

1) Vote down SB 792.

2) Override Mr. 39% with HB 1892 (which will automatically call a special session)

3) We need the Special Session to get the job done right.

None of these will happen because our representatives would rather have a summer vacation than do the states business properly.

So what's the real answer?

1) De-Elect all incumbents until they get it right.

Based on the recent Governor's Business Council report, indexing the gas tax and placing the incremental revenue in the mobility fund to pay off bonds allows us to build the roads we need now, without more toll roads. And this common sense solution costs 30 times less than tolls.

Craddick holds on in revolt

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS: Freeze on private toll roads ready for vote Saturday.

WHO IS THIS MONUMENTAL TEXAN?

Share this video with others.

BLOGGERS - GET A FREE T-SHIRT OFFER. Post this video on your blog, and send me an email with your mailing address and size for a FREE t-shirt (while supplies last).

HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Compromise puts brakes on new private toll roads

Fuhgeddaboudit: New Jersey Owns 32 Million Shares Of Macquarie, Cintra

Watson/Krusee New Toll Tax District Scheme is Dying.

Statesman reports the Watson/Krusee toll tax district scheme is dying. That's a good thing.

CLICK HERE for my report on the tax thirsty Sen Kirk Watson and Rep Mike Krusee companion bills that would cause people for the first time, who lived near toll road 130 to pay an added tax, even if they don't drive the toll road (to subsidize the toll road). You know if they got the tax for SH 130, then other toll tax districts would pop up all across Texas within just a session or two. Our so called representatives are like crack addicts when it comes to taxing us in creative ways. Bad Watson/Krusee, Bad!

Term “Krusee-fied” Sweeps the House

Mass disrespect in the Capitol has spurred the new word "Krusee-fied".

House members coined a new term, "Krusee-fied", as a spin off of "crucified" for Rep. Mike Krusee’s fall from power, according to an knowledgeable inside source.

With this grand demeaning gesture, the House Transportation chair Krusee has lost his power to persuade. Many house members first felt betrayed by Krusee in 2003 with HB 3588, the legislation that enabled public highways to be shifted to tollways for the first time in the US, as well as the TTC land grab.

Over the years, numerous Reps have expresses they felt tricked by Krusee and the summery for HB 3588. Reps were not told what was actually in the bill. Reps don’t have the time to read the thousands of bills that come across their desk, so trust and the bill summery become the important factors in voting decisions (when deals, bribes and blackmail isn’t involved).

Just recently Krusee tried in vein to move votes on his own transportation committee with no avail. The whole house has ignored his attempt at leadership as well. Case in point, just this month HB 1892 passed the house with a 139-1 vote. The lone nay vote was State Sen. Mike Krusee, which was when the term "Krusee-fied" began to spread. And earlier this week, Krusee was disrespected again as he was left off the important list of conferees for SB 792.

As my source described the new term "Krusee-fied" they also stated, “Krusee is the laughingstock of the House".

"Taxpayers are on the hook, and long-term liabilities quickly become current — no matter how ardently a legislative body might hope they won’t."

Fred Lewis: Craddick's Corruption Must End

"One option makes fiscal sense. The other sells out the public for political expediency and corporate profits."

USA TODAY: Motorist Driving LESS

Drivers cut back — a 1st in 26 years

By Paul Overberg and Larry Copeland, USA TODAY

The average American motorist is driving substantially fewer miles for the first time in 26 years because of high gas prices and demographic shifts, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal highway data.

The growth in miles driven has leveled off dramatically in the past 18 months after 25 years of steady climbs despite the addition of more than 1 million drivers to the nation's streets and highways since 2005. Miles driven in February declined 1.9% from February 2006 before rebounding slightly for a 0.3% year-over-year gain in March, data from the Federal Highway Administration show. That's in sharp contrast to the average annual growth rate of 2.7% recorded from 1980 through 2005.

"You have demographic shifts, traffic congestion and increased gas prices," says Ed McMahon, senior research fellow at the Urban Land Institute, a non-profit group that promotes innovative development. "For the first time in recent history, the rate of vehicle miles traveled is not increasing at the rate it was for 25 years. It's having an effect and is changing in subtle ways the way people think about their driving."

The nation has not seen such stagnant growth in driving since 1981, when the USA staggered through an oil shortage and a recession. Gas prices reached an all-time high of $3.223 in March 1981 when adjusted for inflation in today's dollars

During the past 18 months, the nation's population and workforce have grown by just over 1% a year, so an annual gain of 0.3% indicates a decrease in miles per person.

"Thirty-five to 40% of personal miles traveled is work commutes," says Bill Veno, director of global refined products for Cambridge Energy Research Associates, a Boston-based energy consulting firm. "If you continue to grow the employment base, that would tend to push (miles driven) upwards."

Americans are driving about 200 million to 300 million fewer miles a day than they would be if the annual growth rate of 1.9% from 2000-2005 had continued.

Factors contributing to the slowdown:

•Soaring gas prices. Seven of 10 Americans are combining trips and taking other steps to reduce driving, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll May 4-6. Don Harrison, 32, of Indianapolis , no longer visits his relatives across town on the weekend; he saves gas by simply calling them.

•Expanded public transportation. More people took public transit last year than at any time in 49 years. "We're seeing suburban locations create new transit systems," says William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association. "They're expanding into areas that never thought they needed transit because they could do everything by car."

•Slower growth of minority and women drivers and the aging of the population. Except for African-Americans, minority groups drive at high rates, and the annual growth in women drivers has slowed, says Alan Pisarski, an expert on commuting patterns. Also, he says, people on average drive less after age 55.

•Demographic shifts that de-emphasize the need to drive. Many Americans, particularly young, upwardly mobile singles, are moving downtown and revitalizing cities. "(They) don't have to live the way of the Ozzie and Harriet model — two parents, suburban, who drive to the city," McMahon says.

Contributing: Theodore Kim of The Indianapolis Star

Statesman says there’s a deal on SB 792, and it doesn’t include Amendment 13.

Ben Wear of Statesman says there's a deal (click above), but Conferee Rep. Wayne SMITH SAYS THERE IS NO DEAL ON TRANSPORTATION BILLreports QR:

"Smith is adamant that no deal has been struck on the bill -- in fact, House conferees hear that side-by-sides are out and have yet to see them -- and want it known that negotiations continue.

"There's no deal," Smith stressed. "Saying there's a deal just makes this harder."

TEXAS MONTHLY: The battle over the transportation bill is hot hot hot.

And in the comment section by William Lutz:

"David Dewhurst wants to be the next governor of Texas, here's what he ought to consider: telling the Senators that if the House overrides a veto of HB 1892, he will have a recorded vote on the override -- win or lose..."

"....the Trans-Texas Corridor and the state's current transportation policies are radioactive -- both in the general and primary elections (of both parties). Any senator with future political aspirations or a desire to run statewide would not want to take a recorded vote in favor of the Trans-Texas Corridor. If Dewhurst tells senators there will be a recorded vote, it would likely ensure that the veto would be overridden. Under such a scenario, Dewhurst could legitimately take credit for killing the Trans-Texas Corridor, which would help him in the 2010 Republican primary...."

"...If some of the fine print in these comprehensive development agreements gets more publicity, voters in both parties will be even more upset. The electorate is deeply concerned about what's going on at the Department of Transportation and ethics in Texas government in general, and no amount of direct mail or poll-tested misinformation will change that fact."

Keep making the calls to push Amendment #13 folks...Mr. 39% hates it (so you know it's good for Texans)

RICKY'S TICKED

By Eileen Welsome, Texas Observer

Sources tell us this evening that Tricky Ricky is displeased with an amendment (#13) put up by state Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, which closed a loophole in SB 792, the transportation legislation designed to temporarily halt the rush to privatize the state’s roads.

The loophole was big enough to drive, well, the the Trans-Texas Corridor through. And, of course, that’s exactly what Tricky Ricky wanted. Read the rest of the article HERE.

"Take On Traffic" Con Men Exposed In Statesman

Gary Farmer and John Langmore assist Rep. Mike Krusee in

the tolling public highway scam with Take on Traffic (TOT).

This great letter to the editor about the "Take On Traffic" Con Men was published in the Statesman today!:

Matters of traffic

The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, under the name "Take On Traffic," is holding one-sided presentations and sending out misleading mail pieces with the same old song and dance, misinforming Austinites that if we don't toll roads we've already paid for, our gas tax will increase by $2 per gallon. That's hogswallow.

The Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M reports that more tolls are not needed and that merely indexing the gas tax to inflation and using bonds will allow us to build the roads we need.

Putting toll booths on roads we've already paid for is double taxation. In addition to being unfair, the toll booths are inefficient — 25 cents to collect a 50 cent cash toll and 11 cents to collect an electronic toll. An indexed gas tax will cost less than 3 percent of the amount it brings in collection costs.

DAVID ROGERS
Pflugerville

CLICK HERE TO READ THE
TAKE ON TRAFFIC (TOT) CON MEN Exposé.
.

CENSORED VIDEO that Toll Authority Doesnt Want You to See!

New Jersey Toll Authority pressured the newspaper to remove this fiery crash video from it's website. Read about how toll roads are more dangerous than freeways by clicking the "Tolls MORE Dangerous than Freeways" links to the Right hand side of this page.

Third Times the Charm?

TxDOT's Ric Williamson (appointed by Mr. 39% Perry himself) has been pushing tolls on roads we've already paid for, as well as the TTC land grab schemes for many years. This Statesman editorial article says it's given him two heart attacks, and Williamson said the third one could get him the "dirt nap". That Ric is such a tease:

"Taking a real toll. In the upcoming June issue of Texas Monthly magazine, senior editor and political columnist Paul Burka writes about Ric Williamson, chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission and architect of the much-despised Trans-Texas Corridor toll road. Burka described Williamson as the most hated man in Texas because of his devotion to the corridor.

But the longtime political columnist also wrote that Williamson is one of the most inventive minds in Texas politics, though one with a personality so prickly it courts enemies. In the interview, Williamson said his six years on the commission have been hard on his health.

He said he's had two heart attacks since joining the commission, "and I'm trying to avoid the third one, which the doctors tell me will be fatal.""

UPDATED: Conspicuously absent from the list of committee conferees is Transportation Chairman Mike Krusee - SEE #2 BELOW

The Citizen's Veto

Citizen anti-toll groups are joining forces in the final days of the legislative session as the last opportunity to stop the TTC for the next two years.

The Texas House of Representatives has solidly supported a Trans Texas Corridor moratorium at every opportunity and on every vote. Soon they will have one more vote on SB792, allowing it to either become law or killing it forever.

There is a fatal flaw in the language of SB792 that would allow TxDOT to proceed with construction of TTC-35, even if the bill becomes law. On May 17, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst fixed that loop hole with House Amendment #13.

The Governor has demanded that amendment 13 be removed from SB792.

“Through our Representatives we can exercise a Citizen's Veto by asking them to kill SB792 if it fails to give Texas a moratorium on the Trans Texas Corridor. Amendement #13 is the key. No #13 amendment? No moratorium!” said CorridorWatch.org’s David Stall

The anti-toll coalition, led by CorridorWatch.org believes there will be very little if any benefit from the passage of SB972 if is fails to contain the provisions of amendment 13 that put an enforceable 2-year hold private CDA projects. Amendment 13 will not effect North Tx projects or other exempted projects.

The anti-toll coalition says we must either keep amendment 13 or we do everything in our power to see SB792 is killed.

“SB792 With 13 is Okay; Without 13 - No Way!” said CorridorWatch.org’s David Stall

The anti-toll coalition asks that YOU TAKE THIS ACTION

#1. Call and fax Lt. Governor Dewhurst.

* Call 800.441.0373
* Fax 512.936.8144 or 512.463.0677
* You can use this form letter (click orange headline to download).

#2. Call and fax SB792 Conference Committee Members (THESE MEMBERS JUST ANNOUNCED TODAY AT NOON - CONTACT THEM NOW).

Senator Tommy Williams, Chair 888.668.1227 / Fax 512.463.6373
Senator John Carona 512.463.0116 / Fax 512.463.3135
Senator Eliot Shapleigh 512.463.0129 / Fax 512.463.0218
Senator Kim Brimer 512.463.0110 / Fax 512.475.3745
Senator Robert Nichols 512.463.0103 / Fax 512.463.1526
Representative Chairman Wayne Smith - 866.423.5987 / Fax 512.463.1323
Representative Patricia Harless - 512.463.0496 / Fax 512.463.1507
Representative Larry Phillips - 512.463.0297 / Fax 512.463.1561
Representative Joe Pickett - Toll Free 800.775.5810 / Fax 512.463.6504
Representative Lois Kolkhorst - 512.463.0600 / Fax 512.463.5240

* Use the form letter (click orange headline to download).

Here's what we suggest that you say when you call, "I strongly support a moratorium on the construction of the Trans Texas Corridor. Please help keep amendment 13 in SB792 or kill the bill altogether."

For more information go HERE.

Krusee's HillCo pays for Judges legal bills

Tyler Telegraph: Sen. Nichols said, "When I see something wrong, I have to act."

DALLASBLOG.COM: Does the Toll Road Bill Repeat Mistakes of 2003?

With replacement SB 792 in limbo, Perry vetoes HB 1892 toll bill

The Legislature still has the option, should SB 792 run aground, of voting to override Perry's veto of HB 1892.

EXPOSING THE MOST WANTED LOBBYIST IN TEXAS

Like cockroaches, special interests avoid the light of day, and prefer to work behind closed doors. Some even refuse to file legally required lobbyist statements so they can work and profit in secret.

For many years, Melinda Wheatley has ignored these Texas laws and has refused to pay the state for her mounting delinquent lobbyist reports and her default judgment with the AG’s office. Wheatley’s relationship with Rep. Mike Krusee and the Multimillion dollar deals she’s been a part of - stink like rotten fish. It’s common knowledge at the capitol that Wheatley has been Mike Krusee’s mistress for many years.

Without a recent photo we wouldn’t know if she was standing next to us in the capitol elevator - UNTIL NOW. I hired a photographer last week to capture an image of Wheatley, the most wanted lobbyist in the State of Texas.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you’ve read the double article that expose Wheatley for her failure to follow state law, as well as connections with Rep. Mike Krusee, Gov. Rick Perry, HillCo, and more - CLICK HERE).

This photo was taken at her downtown work parking lot.


Wheatley drives a new dark blue 2007 BMW 328i (purchased from BMW of Austin in 2/07). Texas license plate: 618 TWF


Wheatley has a monthly parking lot lease at Olive Grove Partners lot, which is located at the S.W. corner of Trinity and 11th.


Note the 823 Congress building - where HillCo Partners, HillCo Media and HillCo Direct all office out of - which can be seen from Wheatley’s parking lot. The photographer said she walked down the alley between 10th and 11th - toward Congress after she arrived about 11:15am. She left the lot about 4:00pm.


Read the double article that expose Wheatley for her failure to follow state law, as well as connections with Rep. Mike Krusee and multi-million toll road contracts HERE).

If your sick and tired of the corruption, and you’d like to help finance surveillance of the cockroaches that run from the spotlight - email me at Sal@TexasTollParty.com

More to come.

Send this article to others by
clicking on the envelope icon below.

Substitute transportation bill (with more exemptions) glides on in after Reps & Sens fear work during summer vacation

House sends toll road bill to Senate (click to read)

House finds the Senate's MILQUETOAST moratorium hard to swallow.

Dawnna Dukes Biggest Supporter: HILLCO PAC

"Dawnna Dukes' biggest contributor since 2002 is none other than HILLCO PAC-- which is run by Craddick's close lobbyist buddies Bill Miller and Buddy Jones. HILLCO PAC has given her $11,000."

TOLL ROAD LOBBY THREATENS TEXAS BLOGGER WITH LAWSUIT

In a response to a Muckraker blog article I published on 5/9/07 (see below), Hillco Partners, one of the most powerful lobby firms in Texas sent a letter to threaten me with a lawsuit.

I see this threat letter as a deliberate attempt to squelch my freedom of speech by those who seek to shift our Texas freeways to tollways. HillCo is connected to Rep. Mike Krusee, Gov. Rick Perry and other toll road profiteers such as PBS&J, Goldman Sachs and Fluor.


HILLCO PARTNERS LAWSUIT THREAT LETTER
Download and read the threat letter by clicking orange headline.

The censorship letter refers to the blog article called “TRANSPORTATION CHAIR’S MISTRESS LANDS MULTI MILLION DOLLAR TOLL ROAD CONTRACTS” (see below). It’s about Melinda Wheatley, the most wanted lobbyist in the state of Texas and her unique influence with married State Rep. Mike Krusee.

Interestingly, the HillCo Partners letter targets only one paragraph of the blog article:

“A reliable inside source confirms today that Krusee and Wheatley are still “an item” and that Wheatley is now lobbying at one of Austin's most influential lobby firms, HillCo Partners, under the guise of a “public relations specialist” (so she can try and sidestep filing more legally required lobbyist reports).”

The HillCo letter, from Attorney J. Hapton Skelton of the Law offices of Skelton and Moody, says:

“This statement is false in every respect.”

After we exchanged emails, I now wonder if HillCo is suggesting that my reliable source didn’t give me such information. Or, perhaps HillCo thinks my contact of two years is just an imaginary friend?

Since I received the original threat letter, I spoke with my contact again to confirm. My inside source tells me that she was told first hand that Wheatley did “work for HillCo”. Perhaps that could mean HillCo Partners, or a sister company called HillCo Media (also known as HillCo Media Southwest), or HillCo Direct, all with the same 823 Congress Ave in Austin address. I don’t know.

I don’t know anything more about Wheatley working with or not working with either HillCo company. What I do know is that my source has proven to be reliable - time after time.

My source also told me that they would not be surprised if Krusee and/or Wheatley complained to HillCo Partners to do something to shut me up, perhaps send a letter from an attorney.

The lawsuit threat letter does NOT deny anything else in the article. It does not deny that HillCo Partner’s J. McCartt has paid for many of Krusee’s travel bills. Nor does the letter deny that McCartt’s clients included TTC contractor Fluor Corp., Texas toll road investor Goldman Sachs (who plays all angles of tolling and selling our freeways) and the scandalous PBS&J, an engineering firm that has worked on several Texas toll road projects.

MORE ABOUT HILLCO

Aside from the numerous connections I lay out in the original article (see below) HillCo’s J. McCartt was the treasurer of a the political action committee that pushed for an amendment to finance highway construction through the Gov. Perry’s Texas Mobility Fund in 2001. One of the first pieces of the puzzle to steal and toll our freeways.

A Texas Observer report says this of HillCo Partner’s power:

“...HillCo Partners stands apart. It has an influence and reach—stretching from the statehouse to the state Supreme Court—that almost gives it the status of a shadow government.”

THREAT LETTERS TO CENSOR BLOGGERS

Special interests have been known to send threat letters to bloggers to squelch our free speech.

It’s happened to me twice in two years. State Rep. Dawnna Dukes (whose unpopular freeway toll vote came the morning after her sisters contract was signed with the tolling authority) and Everett Owen (a “No Bid” Contractor with the tolling authority) both threatened to sue as a way to shut me up. Both times, my attorney told me they were both full of shit, that they were trying to shut me up. I called their bluff, and no lawsuits were filed.

Stay tuned.

BLOG ARTICLE PUBLISHED 5/9/07

TRANSPORTATION CHAIR’S MISTRESS LANDS MULTI MILLION DOLLAR TOLL ROAD CONTRACTS.

THE MOST WANTED LOBBYIST IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS UNIQUE INFLUENCE WITH THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION CHAIR MIKE KRUSEE.

For years, the married republican State Rep. Mike Krusee, the chair of the House Transportation committee, and lobbyist Melinda Wheatley’s have had an intimate relationship.

A reliable inside source confirms today that Krusee and Wheatley are still “an item” and that Wheatley is now lobbying at one of Austin's most influential lobby firms, HillCo Partners, under the guise of a “public relations specialist” (so she can try and side-step filing more legally required lobbyist reports).

According to reports, HillCo’s J. McCartt, a former aide to Gov. Perry, has paid for many of Krusee’s travel bills. McCartt’s clients included TTC contractor Fluor Corp., Texas toll road investor Goldman Sachs (who plays all angles of tolling and selling our freeways) and the scandalous PBS&J—an engineering firm that has worked on several Texas toll road projects. McCartt flew Krusee to Washington in 2005 to address a conference on public-private partnerships. McCartt also flew Krusee to Las Vegas to deliver the keynote address at a PBS&J toll summit a week after the 2005 regular session ended.

About ten (10) months ago, I filed a formal “sworn complaint” with the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) on Melinda Wheatley’s failure to file legally required lobbying reports for many months and years.

I fully expected Wheatley to pay off her chronically delinquent TEC fines soon after I filed the complaint. But she did not.

KRUSEE'S MISTRESS WHEATLEY IS THE MOST WANTED LOBBYIST IN TEXAS TODAY!

Shockingly, after 10 months, the brazen Wheatley has NOT paid any of the past delinquent fines with the TEC. Not only that, but according to the TEC’s own website, she is the most wanted lobbyist in the state of Texas today! Maybe that should not be a surprise.

AG’S OFFICE SUED WHEATLEY. WHEATLEY REFUSES TO PAY DEFAULT JUDGMENT AFTER 7 YEARS.

In 1999, the Attorney General’s office sued Melinda Wheatley for failing to pay yet another TEC delinquent account from the 1990’s. The Bankruptcy and Collections division of the AG’s office won a Travis County Court judgment that includes attorney’s fees and court costs. Wheatley has refused to pay the default judgment as well as the 10% annual interest that continues to mount each year. The AG’s office tells me a personal lien is also in place but Wheatley has not reported any ownership of property in the past seven years.

The formal complaint I filed 10 months ago was finally presented to the TEC on April 13th, 2007. The complaint has yet to be resolved or dismissed and a TEC attorney says the hearing could take place soon.

HISTORY OF KRUSEE AND WHEATLEY

Melinda Wheatley and Rep. Mike Krusee began working together on education issues in the late 90’s. In 2003 Krusee became the Chair of the House Transportation Committee after former chair Joe Pickett refused to go along with the unaccountable transportation legislation Gov. Perry wanted pushed. That same year, records show Wheatley began to lobby on Transportation issues.

Over the years, the Wheatley (12/6/1967) has kept many of the details of who she works for, and how much she gets paid, a secret.

WHEATLEY’S UNIQUE INFLUENCE WITH KRUSEE EQUALS MULTI MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS FOR HER TOLL ROAD CLIENTS.

Limited state records show Wheatley earned between $70k and $150k in the first two months 2005. Wheatley listed TransCore, Texas Council of Engineering Companies, Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas and City of Austin as her transportation clients.

TransCore, one of Wheatley’s many transportation clients received a multimillion dollar contract with TxDOT in Sept. 2005. The contract for eGo Plus RFID tags, branded locally as TxTag, is for 2 million tags over two years.

Another transportation client of Wheatley, the Texas Council of Engineering Companies (TCEC) included URS, HNTB, PBS&J & Carter & Burgess, Inc. All of which have received numerous multimillion dollar toll contracts.

WHEATLEY GETS NO BID CONTRACT FROM TOLL AUTHORITY

Comptroller Strayhorn’s investigative report on the freeway tolling authority shows Wheatley’s Informative Efforts, LLC, now defunct, was given a NO BID contract (see app. #5) for freeway toll road work. It was Mike Krusee’s legislation that created the freeway tolling authority.

Wheatley ignored Texas law and additional conflicts of interests when she failed to list J.P. Morgan as one of her clients in 2004. The Comptroller’s Report states:

“Informative Efforts: The principals of this public relations firm are Cathy Howell and Melinda Wheatley, who are subcontractors for Nancy Ledbetter Associates, which in turn contracts with HNTB. Their relationship with the transportation industry may represent a potential conflict of interest. Informative Efforts had a consulting arrangement with JP Morgan Securities Inc., a CTRMA contractor, and was paid a retainer fee of $7,000 per month plus expenses. The Austin office of JP Morgan Securities indicated that Informative Efforts performed lobbying work and that it was a short-term contract terminated around March 2004. Melinda Wheatley was Informative Efforts’ primary contact with JP Morgan Securities. Wheatley was listed on the 2004 Texas Ethics Commission lobby list for only one client, TransCore, a sponsor of Team Texas. This company provides services and products that enable toll authorities to manage transactions using toll tags. As such, TransCore is a potential CTRMA contractor.”

How has J.P. Morgan been fairing in Krusee’s Toll Road Deals?

In 2005 the CTRMA invested $284 million in a J.P. Morgan Money Market. J.P. Morgan Securities is also part of the Cintra Trans Texas Corridor Team.

Up to $1 billion dollars of TxDOT Fund 6 bonds is controlled by J.P. Morgan Securities, which acts as the senior manager for the initial issuance. Fund 6 revenue bonds are backed by state highway revenues and anticipated federal transportation appropriations.

By refusing to file lobbyist reports, what are Wheatley (and Krusee) hiding?

What kind of partnership does Melinda Wheatley have with Mike Krusee?

Should Mike Krusee and Melinda Wheatley be investigated by the District Attorney?

Should the press ignore the fact that the House Transportation Chair’s mistress, the most wanted lobbyist in the State of Texas, has landed multi-million dollar contracts?

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