Private toll roads bill heads to Perry's desk
AUSTIN — The House gave final approval to placing a two-year moratorium on private toll road contracts, sending the bill to Perry and setting up a showdown over the future of the state's transportation policy.
Perry had urged the Legislature to reject the freeze but has stopped short of promising a veto.
The Legislature can override a veto with a two-thirds vote of both chambers, but they must be in session to take that vote. The session ends May 28.
The House passed the moratorium 139-1. The Senate vote was 27-4 last week.
Growing opposition to Perry's proposed Trans-Texas Corridor — a combined toll road and rail system that would whisk traffic from the Oklahoma line to Mexico — have made some lawmakers nervous about the project.
Residents and lawmakers complain drivers will become hostages to the private companies, forced to pay increasingly hefty tolls.
HB 1892, which achieved Senate approval on April 27, slows down by two years the governor's plan to close the deal on the Trans Texas Corridor, a 50-year, statewide toll road-building project.
The bill, by Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, and sponsored in the Senate by Williams, passed 27-4. "No" votes were cast by senators who hoped to get started on plans to relieve traffic congestion, or wanted to keep all options active and on the table.
After the vote, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, said, "I believe privately financed road projects play an essential role in our transportation future."
But, Dewhurst added, a twoyear moratorium would give the people of Texas and lawmakers time to make sure such projects "actually work and benefit all Texans."
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
When Texas voters get mad, they throw the bums out. The example of one-term governor Mark White still lingers in the memories of Texas legislators. He angered Texas teachers by implementing Ross Perot’s education reform measures and was turned out of office.
Wonder who will have to return money passed under the table from Cintas, the Spanish company who mysteriously got the contract for these toll roads? These deals don’t just spring to life spontaneously.
Translation: "We gotta keep the corruption here at the State level -- so I can continue to stuff my pockets!:
FedGov has weighed in too. Threatening loss of highway funds if we don’t go along with this boondoggle.
Looks like Perry has about 5 friends in the Legislature. I’d walk on eggshells if I were him.
The People of Texas have spoken.