Posted on 01/29/2007 4:09:38 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Gov. Rick Perry appointed best bud Ric Williamson of Weatherford to the Texas Transportation Commission in 2001. Williamson became a field general to carry out Perry's plan -- to forever change the way Texas pays for roads.
During Williamson's six-year term, which ends Thursday, the state embraced toll roads, privatization and pretty much anything that's not a tax increase. Williamson became commission chairman in 2004.
The strategy is working, despite criticism of Williamson's appetite for toll roads and frequent stumping for a highway system that responds to market forces rather than politics.
Funding has been freed up for many long-delayed projects, including expansion of Interstate 30 in Arlington and the Texas 114/121 Grapevine Funnel (aka the DFW Connector). State officials also are moving swiftly on the planned Trans-Texas Corridor.
But state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, shook things up last week when he told the Austin American-Statesman that Williamson had "worn out his welcome" in many parts of Texas and should be replaced. Carona's view carries weight because he's chairman of the Senate transportation committee.
Williamson declined last week to address Carona's comments, saying he'll serve as long as Perry wants him. "If he asks me to go through a wall, I will do it," Williamson said.
State law allows commissioners to continue serving after their terms expire. It's not unusual for them to stay aboard for months, or even a year or two.
Perry can avoid a potentially messy Senate confirmation by waiting until after the legislative session ends in the spring to reappoint or replace Williamson. Such a move would buy time for two commission members appointed this month, Fred Underwood of Lubbock and Ned Holmes of Houston, to learn the biz.
The other two people on the five-member commission, Ted Houghton of El Paso and Hope Andrade of San Antonio, were appointed in 2003.
Anonymous call the other day: "I'm thinking about running for governor. If I get to be governor, then in order to sell gasoline in Texas you'll have to have free air and water, like it used to be at service stations. It's going to be a law if I'm elected governor."
Awesome platform. But I can't vote for you if I don't know your name ...
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
LOL... Toll roads don't "respond to market forces" because they are pure monopolies. Not even the state is allowed to compete with them under their contracts.
The toll road will remain completely outside of Texas taxpayer, and toll payer, reach until the end of the contract.
On the other hand, politicians can be rejected at the polls on a regular basis if they don't do a good job on the roads, but the monopoly toll road ownership cannot.
As the Okies say, Pooooorrrrr Texas. They can't even afford to build roads. Now they're going to screw up Texas just like Oklahoma, by building turnpikes.
Anonymous call the other day: "I'm thinking about running for governor. If I get to be governor, then in order to sell gasoline in Texas you'll have to have free air and water, like it used to be at service stations. It's going to be a law if I'm elected governor."
Awesome platform. But I can't vote for you if I don't know your name ...
You said -- "As the Okies say, Pooooorrrrr Texas. They can't even afford to build roads. Now they're going to screw up Texas just like Oklahoma, by building turnpikes."
Now, I'm an Okie (by birth) and a Texan (by raising) and an Oregonian, (from later years), and I'm currently in Texas, headed for Oklahoma (in another day). I've got relatives all over the place, there and I've never heard a one of them refer to Texas that way. And being in Texas, I've never heard a Texan talk about the Okies saying that.
Where did you pick that up at?
For one thing, being in Tulsa, almost every direction you go out of that town is by toll road (except north). I've never seen so many toll roads in my life. I really don't like them, but I'm ending up driving on them all the time. Fortunately I buzz through the toll stations at freeway speeds, which is nice.
In Dallas, I only use the Dallas North Tollway, and that's nice from where I'm at. And I see very little of toll roads in Texas. It's sure not like Oklahoma. Of course, in Oregon, there are none at all.
Talk about "pooooorrrr Texas" -- well, in comparing Dallas to Tulsa -- I wouldn't say that's the case. That's for sure...
Regards,
Star Traveler
P.S. -- By the way, if you had ever driven on the highway from Paris, Texas to Hugo, Oklahoma before, you wouldn't be saying "poor Texas". As soon as you hit the Oklahoma side, the road thumped you to death so bad that it could knock every bolt loose in your car. But, the Okies shaved the road recently and now I'm spared from being "thumped to death".
Good points, and I never heard my Okie in-laws say any of that stuff either. Do I ever remember that stretch from Paris, TX to Hugo, OK--WHOA! Thumping is the right description!
No.
give strayhorn credit for understanding that cintra/zachry is a perry scam!
ROFLOL :)
I don't know. It may already be a state law, but I would like mandatory free refills on iced tea and any Texas restaurant. I don't know the last time I was charged for a refill but it just seems so unTexan to charge for them.
I'd also outlaw pay toilets.
"and any Texas restaurant"
Oops. "AT any Texas restaurant."
You said -- "Do I ever remember that stretch from Paris, TX to Hugo, OK--WHOA! Thumping is the right description!"
But it's sure nice now, though. It's as smooth as glass. Maybe that Indian Casino, right across the border in Oklahoma has something to do with it.
I've got some relatives in Antlers, so I'll go up the Indian Nation Turnpike some of the time. Other times, I'll go up 75. That Indian Nation Turnpike hardly ever has any traffic on it. Either way, I always end up on some part of the Indian Nation (either McAlester way or Hugo).
However, one thing that been bugging me about some of the Okie toll roads is that they always seem to be in a state of contruction, cutting back a lane and slowing down traffic and running along that section at around 45 MPH. Now, if I just paid the toll -- I figure I should be getting some kind of refund on that toll, for getting backed up in a traffic jam (when they cut it down to one lane) and going way slow, to boot. I don't know about that one, though...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Thanks for the ping!
You're welcome.
BTTT
When it comes to Texas, some Oklahomans, such as narby, have a bad case of penis envy.
"The strategy is working"
"Funding has been freed up"
"moving swiftly"
LOL. As I've been pointing out that Texas is about to cut theirs off.
I've seen how 50 years of turnpikes have left Oklahoma roads. The evil side of me laughs that Texas is about to make the same mistake, while the good side of me tries hard to warn of them about their impending mistake.
Pooooorrrrrrr Texas.
I've admited my agenda, I hate paying tolls. What's yours?
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