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The debate over toll roads took a front row seat in last night’s final Republican gubernatorial debate. The lead question to start the debate, posed by reporter Wayne Slater, asked candidates Kay Bailey Hutchison, Debra Medina, [...]

NEW UPDATE:
Texas DOT Gets $3 Billion Nod,Gears Up for Market
Financial Times
January 29, 2010; Updated: February 5th, 2010
In separate meetings yesterday, the Texas Transportation Commission and the State Bond Review Board authorized TxDOT to develop a preliminary official statement and take other steps needed to issue the debt.
TxDOT has not hired underwriters for the deal, [...]

Link to article here.
The arrogant condescension of elitist politicians is on display with these comments by Denton County Judge Mary Horn:
“The traveling public will have a choice. For the anti-toll road people, if they feel that strongly about it, well bless their little hearts, there will be free lanes right beside the tolled lanes and [...]

Link to article here.
Kay Bailey Hutchison accepts campaign cash from toll-road builder

01:58 PM CST on Tuesday, January 26, 2010
By WAYNE SLATER / The Dallas Morning News
wslater@dallasnews.com AUSTIN – Kay Bailey Hutchison has railed against the Trans-Texas Corridor, but she counts one of the state’s premiere toll-road builders among her major financial [...]

Link to article here. Illinois voters are no different than Texans when it comes to economics. The voters surveyed inherently know that when a private company takes over a public toll road, the toll rates will go up if for no other reason than private companies have to make a profit. One man quoted below [...]

Link to Texas Watchdog’s article here. Three members of the San Antonio delegation are included in this connection to the Hillco lobbying firm giving free office space to legislators while pending legislation pushed by Hillco was on the table. Hillco was the powerhouse hired by many local governments in DFW to push the local option [...]

Link to article here. The key buzz word for these taxpayer rip-offs is “innovative.” It’s important to note Rick Perry calls public private partnerships (PPPs) “innovative financing,” too. His new name for the Trans Texas Corridor is “Innovative Connectivity Plan.” The common theme is these things are being pushed by corporations who stand to profit [...]

Link to article here.
So where have our federal gas taxes been going? To restore historic courthouses, build tourists centers, rest areas with free wi-fi, millions in landscaping contracts, and airport museums! So this is the reason why Rick Perry won’t listen to the people of Texas and end his toll road policies. Look at the [...]

Link to article here.
The way this report was compiled has some flaws…they selected a congested roadway in major U.S. cities and then ranked the entire city based on its single most congested corridor. But it is useful in illustrating the persistent troubles with I-35 through Austin. The SH 130 tollway was built to supposedly relieve [...]

Farouk Shami Proposes Overhaul in Transportation Policy
Texas Insider – January 20, 2010, On The Record

We must stop the Trans Texas Corridor and Eminent Domain Abuses
HOUSTON- Farouk Shami released his campaign’s policy on transportation issues Thursday. Transportation issues are one the greatest challenges facing the State of Texas. Every hour spent stuck in traffic is an [...]