Stimulus $$ for toll roads? (Action alert if you think *not*)

[tbyg52]

$700 million eyed for toll projects
Grand Parkway's among 21 Texas roads in allocation

The Texas Department of Transportation has set aside more than $700 million in economic stimulus funds for toll road projects across the state, sparking criticism and questions about whether the pay-to-drive roads are an appropriate use of the federal dollars.

The toll roads — including the Grand Parkway in Harris County — are among 21 major projects up for a vote at next week’s meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission in Austin. The commission had planned to vote on the list this week but delayed its consideration a week after at least one state legislator complained the money was being spent without enough input.

More:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/6285483.html#none

Action (from TURF):

ACTION ALERT!

Email the Transportation Commission in time for their meeting March 5 here:
[email protected]

Send them this simple message...

No stimulus money for toll roads.

It's a DOUBLE TAX rip-off!

More action at TURF:
http://www.texasturf.org

[sonias]

1. Good for Dunman for jumping on this

I had no idea. What a frigging disaster! The State Legislature needs to make sure the TX DOT does not spend any stimulus money to help toll roads get built. Toll roads have private investors let them raise the money to build their projects. The federal government should not be subsidizing private roll construction. There are plenty of road projects owned 100% by the taxpayers that should get the money first.

:grr:


Sonia

[sonias]

2. Citizen groups: Slow down on road spending

AAS 3/3/09
Citizen groups: Slow down on road spending
By KELLEY SHANNON
Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN, Texas — A coalition of citizens groups demanded Tuesday that Texas transportation officials slow down in selecting projects for economic stimulus money and that the federal cash not go toward toll roads or environmentally questionable highways.

They said at a Capitol rally that the Texas Department of Transportation should seek more citizen input in deciding how to spend much of the $2.25 billion in stimulus transportation money Texas is getting.

"We want TxDOT to slow down and fix it first and do the right thing with our stimulus money," said Robin Holzer, chair of the Citizens' Transportation Coalition based in Houston. Another citizen activist said the state transportation department has "hijacked" the federal money.

:kick:

Send that e-mail folks!
Email the Transportation Commission in time for their meeting March 5 here:
[email protected]

Sonia

[sonias]

3. Texas Observer blog post on the lobby day

Texas Observer 3/3/2009
Activists Tell TxDOT to Slow Down

A varied coalition of activist groups—including Sierra Club, Citizens’ Transportation Coalition, Independent Texans, Environment Texas, Houston Tomorrow, and Texans United for Reform and Freedom—gathered at the Capitol this morning to encourage TxDOT to take its time with the incoming federal stimulus money.

TxDOT plans to allocate its remaining $1.7 billion in stimulus funding on Thursday.

"There are a lot of good projects on the list," said Robin Holzer, board chair of CTC. "But, in their hurry, TxDOT is pushing through a number of bad, highly controversial projects. We want TxDOT to slow down, fix it first, and do the right thing with our stimulus money.”

"There should be no money going into toll roads,” said TURF director Terri Hall.

:kick:

Sonia

[sonias]

4. Congressman Slaps TxDOT

Texas Observer Floorpass blog 3/4/09
Congressman Slaps TxDOT

TxDOT must give priority to transportation projects in economically-distressed areas when allocating $1.2 billion in stimulus money, according to a letter sent today to Rep. Jim Dunnam from Congressman James Oberstar, the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

This should settle the feud between Dunnam and TxDOT. On Monday, Dunnam said that TxDOT may have violated federal law by “obligating” $500 million for road and bridge maintenance without paying proper attention to the requirements in the stimulus bill. Chris Lippincott shot back that maybe Dunnam didn’t understand the law. From the fairly plain language of the letter it appears Lippincott was wrong.

:rofl:

:kick:


Sonia

[texastoast]

5. I was in Austin Tuesday

and delivered TURF materials to my rep. Last week I wrote a letter to all the Houston City Council for the hearing on the short-term patch that is the Grand Parkway. The County Judge emailed me back and I got a response from one of the council folks. Of course, we are going forward with Segment E.

Isn't it a damned shame that this modern city can't figure out how to get people to work without cars? It makes me just sick that old cities are just whipping Texas' ass on that account. But all the politicians have their excuses. Blah, blah, blah. Toll, toll, toll. Pave, pave, pave.

[sonias]

6. Good on you texastoast!

Thank you for taking the time to lobby the Lege and write to your city council and county officials. Never accept that you are powerless. If all the people who are really concerned would take action like you did, things would change. But politicians take advantage of the fact that people give up their power by default.

You represent 10,000 people when you take the time to make your voice heard.

Keep up the good work!

:yourock: :applause: :hug:
:dem:


Sonia

[tbyg52]

7. I emailed all the Fort Bend commissioners.

The only one I heard back from was Morrison, of course. I notice his anti-toll and Grand Parkway piece was on the front page of the Chron's opinion section today. Good.

Edited for spelling. I *think* I got it right this time....

[sonias]

8. I love Richard Morrision

He was the first regular guy I remember who stood up to run against that slime Tom DeLay in 2003. And people considered him a long shot and crazy. But he had faith in himself and he stayed involved, and in the end he helped get rid of Tom DeLay! Maybe we don't hold that seat but at least Tom DeLay is out of Congress and Richard Morrison is an elected public servant.

:applause: :loveya:


Sonia