Posted on 10/18/2006 7:18:15 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The governor's race is becoming a referendum on the Trans-Texas Corridor toll road.
Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Perry supports the TTC that would parallel Interstate 35 from Laredo to Oklahoma.
However, it could gobble up 81,000 acres of rural land according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Also, a large chunk of the land used would be in North Texas.
Lance Haynes, a Republican, said he wonders if his family's 68 acres in rural Collin County might be covered in concrete in the near future.
The land lies within the path where the state could route the TTC and he's worried.
"It has the potential to completely wipe out everything that our family has here," he said.
With population and traffic congestion growing in Texas and funds tight, Perry said the TTC is the quickest answer.
"We must build more roads and we must build infrastructure that works safely, thoughtfully and that's economically viable," he said.
While wide open spaces separate the landowners in the path of the TTC, they are very much together in opposing it and have lots of company. The Texas Farm Bureau, and even the Texas Republican Party, is against the TTC.
Perry's opponents, Democrat Chris Bell and Independents Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn, are also adversaries of the plan.
Strayhorn attended many of the public hearing on the TTC over the summer.
"They are literally cramming toll roads down Texans' throats; and the people don't want it," she said.
A TexDOT video explains that a private company would finance and build the corridor in return for collecting tolls for 50 years.
Cintra-Zachry, mostly owned by a Spanish company, is designing the TTC and will bid to build it.
"If someone has a better plan bring it to the hearings," Perry has responded to the criticism.
But opponents, partially financed by Strayhorn, made a web video as well that lampoons the TTC and Perry.
Perry, whose hometown of Paint Creek is north of Abilene, said he is listening.
"I'm sensitive to those landowners," he said. "I come from a very rural area."
But many rural voters deeply disagree.
"But doing it in a manner that disregards the concerns of local government and citizens, I can't endorse that," Haynes said on Perry's position.
(10/17/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - The gubernatorial candidates keep rolling out the TV ads as the election nears, hoping to gain an advantage. But are their claims in their ads accurate? We put a new ad from candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn to the truth test.
Carole Keeton Strayhorn Ad:
"Tolls across Texas. Governor Perry's plan is beyond anything we've ever known."
Strayhorn is aiming her latest spot at Rick Perry's plans for the Trans-Texas Corridor. It's a deal to build long haul highways across the state.
Carole Keeton Strayhorn Ad:
"It's the largest land grab in Texas history; a deal to seize more than half a million acres of private property and hand it over to a foreign company so they can charge us tolls."
The TTC, which is still years away, would require thousands of acres of land. That's true. And while a foreign company would run the tollway, the state of Texas would own the land. So it's not true to say it would be "turned over."
Carole Keeton Strayhorn Ad:
"I believe Texas property belongs to Texans, not foreign companies. And I believe we ought to protect property rights and stop this land grab. Austin doesn't."
But the truth meter is confused. Five years ago - while in Austin as comptroller - Strayhorn said the state should build more toll roads, which would require taking land. Strayhorn now tells the Associated Press she didn't think a plan would be this big.
Carole Keeton Strayhorn Ad:
"It's time to shake Austin up."
If you want to compare this ad to others, here they are:
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
BTTT
bump.
So why the 'spanish 'builder, I wonder? Alien contractors just doing the work that domestic contractors won't do?
Nevermind that TXDOT shifted the preferred study corridors for more than 100 miles of the route closer to the Dallas area in response to the requests of numerous Dallas area cities and agencies and feedback from more than 100 public meetings. Much of the route being studied in the DFW area will now simply utilize already planned roadway routes that will be built even if the TTC is canceled, but the TTC would get it built many years sooner and without the massive amount of tax dollars a free road would require. The shift was a big announcement not too long ago lauded by local governments in DFW, where the reporter is based, odd that he would leave that out. Or perhaps the editors at the local station that used that packaged report cut it?
Check out this article.
Because they had the highest bid. Cintra-Zachry (Zachry being an American partner based in San Antonio) is the lead company, but they will surely subcontract various components during construction, just like any other company would do with any other road project. This company is no more likely to use illegals than any other road construction firms, in case you missed it Mexico won its independence from Spain long before you were born.
The Governor signed the Parental Consent law (minors who seek abortions need to get a parent's signature), the Prenatal Protection Act and the Women's Right to Know Act. He's appointed conservatives to most of the health agency and council spots.
He's got my vote.
By the way - the Dems have worked hard to put up candidates in the Appeals court slots. If nothing else, it's vital to vote for the Republican candidates for Supreme Court and Appeals Court slots. We do not want another set of liberal, "evolving Constitution" judges for 6 years or so.
Check out the article on the link I posted at this reply. You think Bell has the lawyers in his pocket????
Strayhorn has received more than $2 million this year from trial lawyers.
What does Mexico have to do with the conversation? I thought Cintra-Zachry is a "mostly owned by a Spanish company." Spanish = Spain, no?
Concerning Mexico, if winning its independence meant so much to them, why did they forego it by becoming so dependent on the U.S.?
Drug running and slave/alien/criminal/insurgent smuggling are not exactly industries upon which to base their national pride. So what is the source of their national dignity?
I know. That was the topic on the Morning Show on KLBJ in Austin today.
was kinky a dolphin ?
http://www1.kinkyfriedman.com/multimedia/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=981
" Isn't that an Airborne pin he's got above those fish? "
Demographically reconquering the American southwest?
The illegal alien red herring you insinuated with your original post.
Thanks for clarifying, I misinterpreted your point.
I was referring to an alien corporation, presuming it to be from Spain. Am I correct?
Concerning 'illegals aliens,' (I would presume you mean from Mexico), I don't think there will be any illegal building the highway. They will be given legal status first - one way or another.
Who and what is behind this highway? It seems international in scope. Was there some treaty that arranged it? Is Bush behind it? Any reports or theories?
With more than just a little help from their 'friends', I'm sure. ;<
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.