Get your windows stickers

Get your anti-TTC stickers, courtesy of CorridorWatch.org. Best of all, they are free! Just mail one or two self addressed, stamped envelopes to CorridorWatch.org at the address below. They will put two stickers in each envelope and mail them back to you. Visit CorridorWatch.org for more details.



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Fayetteville, TX 78940-5468



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Gubernatorial Debate tonight (10/6) 7:00 PM

Watch the Gubernatorial debate this evening. It starts at 7:00 PM on Channel 11 here in Houston. I'm not sure what channels it shows on in other areas but you can be sure that some local station will be carrying it where you are.

http://www.khou.com/news/state/stories/khou060918_mh_debatequestions.215601ea.html

If you'd like to submit questions to the candidates, you can can send the question in an email to questions@belo.com

How Gracious of them....Financials being revealed.

Financial details of the Corridor have been released. More details will follow once I've had a chance to read through them and make sense of them. Stay tuned or feel free to read through them yourself. TTC website

One note of interest. I find it deceiving that on the TTC website, they say, "New TTC-35 Master Development Plan unveiled." It would be more appropriate to say something to the effect of, "Secret sections of our exclusive agreement with a foreign entity revealed as a result of public outcry and being told to do so by the courts after lots ot time stalling and hopefully not with enough time before the election to damage Governor Perry."

Submit Comments...Get Informed

The time period to submit comments for the TTC-35 segment has expired but you can still submit your comments. I'm not sure where the comments will go but I did verify this morning that you can still submit them. Please go to the State's website and submit your comments.

At the same time you can tell them to send you information when it is available. You can receive information via US Mail, email, or both. I suggest both.

Go to the links below and submit comments.

Trans-Texas Corridor I-35 Segment

Trans-Texas Corridor I-69 (parelleling TX Highway 59)

Why would they want to do that?

At dinner this evening, I was introduced to someone who drives trucks for a living. He spends every day of the week traveling from Houston to Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso...you name the place, he drives there. After listening to him tell me how much time he spends on the road of Texas I couldn't help but get his opinion on the Trans-Texas Corridor. Who better to render an opinion than a person who spends all his time on the road driving a truck. The very type of person that Rick Perry and TxDOT would have you believe will benefit from this project. His response was alarming, revealing, and reassuring all at the same time. Read on for his response.

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Again, let me make it clear. This person drives a big rig for a living. His livelihood depends on him making it from point A to point B and back again, IN TIME.

My Question to Him: "If I told you that you had two roads to choose from when making a trip from San Antonio to Houston, one was a toll road with lanes designated specifically for truck traffic and the other was the existing I-10, which would you travel and why?"

His Answer: "I would take the toll road. I make more money being their on time or early than if I get stuck in traffic and end up being late."

OK, I wasn't entirely happy with this answer but I pressed on...seeking his honest opinion.

My Question to Him: "OK, now what if I were to tell you that this toll road did not actually go into any major metro areas. In fact, the road made it a point to go around these metro areas at the outskirts of town. For example. The toll road paralleling I-10 would go no further in than Mason road in Katy, and the same true in San Antonio. It would go around the cities and not through them...BY DESIGN."

His Answer: "In that case, I wouldn't take the toll road. Why, the traffic isn't a problem until you get into the city. Not between San Antonio and Houston but in those towns is where traffic is a problem. No, I wouldn't take the toll road."

I spent the rest of our dinner conversation telling him about the Trans-Texas Corridor and the general point of his responses was one of utter disgust. He was in disbelief that a project as pointless as that would even be considered. At the end of the night, I still don't think he believed that something like the TTC even exists.

Bottom Line...this project makes absolutely no sense to a person who spends all their time traveling the roads of Texas. Not for pleasure, but to make a living. This is exactly the type of person that Rick Perry and TxDOT claim to be trying to help out with this project.

If that isn't proof enough, I don't know what is. Its time we put the brakes on the superhighway to nowhere, from nowhere, that noone will be traveling.

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TTC Plan gets publicity...you decide

Finaly, the Trans-Texas Corridor is starting to get some publicity. The Houston Chronicle had a story today discussing the plan and its affect on this years election. I think the title of the article says it all. "Perry's vision for rural highway could become a political pothole." Read the article and decide for yourself.

The article does a nice job of laying out the case for public opposition. At environmental hearings for the TTC-35 segment an estimated 14,000 people showed up and the public opinion was overwhelmingly one of opposition. In fact, the only positive comments came from people who will benefit from the construction of the roadway.

Say NO to the TTC

In my opinion, the Trans-Texas Corridor is wrong for the State of Texas. If you educate yourself on this disastrous plan, I hope you will agree with me. I hope you will agree with me that it's time we put a stop to this plan and get rid of the people that support the TTC.

How can we do this? How can we stop it? Unfortunately, the State of Texas government system makes it difficult. But, our chance is coming. We can take a huge step towards ending this disastrous plan by exercising our right to vote in the upcoming election.

We can start at the governor and work our way down. There are four main candidates in this year's race for Governor. The only one that supports the Trans Texas Corridor is incumbent Rick Perry. Makes sense ... the whole thing was his idea. We can all encourage others to get informed and exercise their rights. Tell your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and anyone else that will listen.

This is our best, possibly only way to get in front of this project and bring it to a grinding halt. Stay tuned, and I'll post links where you can register to vote and websites of the candidates for governor.

No Taxpayer Dollars?

One obvious reason that a lot of people might object to the Trans-Texas Corridor is because of its immense costs. The estimated cost of the 4,000 miles of roadway is around $183 billion. That's quite a chunk of change. And, since this is a government project, there's no reason to believe that budget won't increase ... considerably. If you complain about the dollars behind this plan, you'll be met with this response, "The toll road is privately funded, and no state funds will be used in its construction."

Ok, but what about all the planning and PR that goes into a project that is opposed by so many. Environmental studies, public meetings, time spent by state employees working on designs and proposals, junkets to other areas where toll roads are a way of life and numerous other activities all contribute to the cost of this project. That's all taxpayer money. There is overwhelming opposition from the citizens of Texas, and yet the project continues. State employees spend time, paid by us the taxpayers, to work on the design and proposals. YES, taxpayer dollars are being spent on this project and in large amounts.

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The proposal on the table fron Cintra-Zachary to build the TTC-35 segment has been on the table for some time now. A year ago, the Attorney General of Texas ruled that TxDOT and Cintra must make the full contents of this development proposal available to the public. They have made most of it public, but they refuse to reveal the parts of the proposal that deal with financing the project. Hmmm ... why do you think that is? Could it be that if taxpayers and our legislators were to see these details they would be sharply criticized and put the project in jeapardy? Could it be that this myth of no taxpayer dollars spent might be proven just such, a myth? Does the government really want us to believe that a company will take on such an ambitious and expensive project without some assurance from the state for bailout or favorable financing?

TxDOT and Cintra are raising their noses to the taxpayers and citizens of Texas. They are saying that they know what is best for us, regardless of what we think or say. They are above the transparency of government and believe in secrecy and back room agreements. They have initiated a legal battle to keep the details of the agreement secret and out of the public eye where actual discussion and analysis can be done. Bottom line ... the citizens of Texas DO NOT MATTER TO TxDOT, Cintra, or the Governor of this state.

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TTC Conflict of Interest? You Decide

I don't think I have to tell you how much I think this whole TTC project stinks. Well, it is starting to stink a lot more. To preface the excerpt below, Cintra is the developer who won the bid for the TTC-35 segment that is fast becoming a reality.

Cintra consultant turned Governor Perry's legislative aide, turned Cintra lobbyist. It's hard to keep up with who is working for who. Or is it?

Austin lobbyist Dan Shelley has been one of Governor Perry's aides and Cintra's inside men.

Shelley worked for Cintra making introductions to TxDOT just in time to see them get a winning proposal submitted for the Trans Texas Corridor. Then he worked for Governor Perry just in time to lobby the Legislature to protect and strengthen laws benefiting Cintra. Now he's back working for Cintra again planning all expense paid trips to Canada for TxDOT and Texas law makers.

The Dallas Morning News reports this morning, "Mr. Shelley resigned his statejob in September and struck a lobbying deal with Cintra worth between $50,000 and $100,000 to work from March through the end of this year. In addition, his daughter and lobbying partner, Jennifer Shelley-Rodriguez, will earn between$25,000 and $50,000 from the company over the same period, state records show."
*quoted from CorridorWatch press release

It gets worse...please read on.

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The politictians in Texas who are pushing this project are counting on the sad fact that most Texans don't pay much attention to state politics. They are hoping that they can get this project done without involving or catching the attention of the citizens they are supposed to be serving. There are many brushes with which you can paint this project, but in this instance, it is conflict of interest.

In addition, a major four-day, all expenses paid trip had been arranged by Cintra for key decision makers and legislators. I say "key" in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, because the list was selective at best. For example, there is a citizens advisory board which was created to advise decision makers on TTC plans and issues. (We won't get into the fact that TxDOT doesn't really consider their input.) However, not all members of this advisory board were invited by Cintra. The most notable acception was Linda Stall, a co-founder of CorridorWatch, and a vocal opponent of the TTC plan. Hmmm ... wonder why that happened? Could it be that Cintra, TxDOT and our politicians have no interest in opposing viewpoints? Imagine that. And then, the trip was abruptly cancelled when the Dallas Morning News found out and reported on it. Again, hmmmmm ...

For the full story you can visit this at Corridor Watch or read this article from the Dallas Morning News.

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Abuse of Eminent Domain

What happened to the days when the government operated as a servant of the people? When did the government become something people feared and complained about? Well, the State of Texas and Governor Rick Perry are proving to us again that they care nothing about the citizens of Texas. They are proving that they don't believe the government is meant to be a representative organization rather than a prescriptive one.

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The TTC is a good example of the government not acting for the citizens it is supposed to represent. Rather, the government in Texas is now becoming a living breathing breathing organism that wants to feed its greedy appetite by stripping Texans of their rights and taking your land to give to the highest bidder. Not only are they willing to take your land but they plan, in the case of TTC-35, to give it to a foreign company to reap profits off of for the next 50 years. If you are quite unhappy to this point you will only grow more discontent if you read further. But please read on, this is a matter for all Texans and we need to be concerned. The State of Texas (meaning Governor Perry and his construction donors) would like to take your land and lease it to private enterprise for the purpose of building a fast food restaurant, gas station or other "ancillary facility" along the Trans-Texas Corridor. And this is no small venture they are initiating. It involves 4,000 miles of road at least 1200 feet wide.

That's right, part of the legislation that allows the TTC to become a reality gives the State of Texas the power to take your land if they feel that there is money to be made in a facility that serves commuters along the TTC. They will take your land if they feel that there is more economic benefit in a gas station than in your growing crops, raising cattle, or giving your children a place to play. No longer a government for the people and by the people, the Texas government is one for big profit in a few pockets. Texans’ rights are being dismissed, and Texans are being treated as obstacles to the greedy visions of large profits for some.

I don't know about you but this sounds to me like a gross abuse of eminent domain. The door was opened by our United States Supreme Court and the State of Texas (Perry and company) intends to fully take advantage. The Texas Legislature made an attempt, or at least what looked like one, to reverse the effect of the Supreme Court decision. However, I say attempt because the legislation that was proposed, and subsequently amended, specifically excluded the TTC from the very protections it was meant to provide. Private property rights are no longer such in Texas. Make no mistake about it, if the governor feels it is in his best interest politically, he will find a way to get it done. AND HE IS!

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Relieving Traffic Congestion in Rural Texas

Don't you just hate it when you're driving through rural Texas and you come upon someone driving the speed limit down your local farm to market road? I bet you say to yourself, "Man I could sure use a toll road where I can pay 15 cents/mile and avoid this guy."

How about when you come to the only stop sign in a one-horse town and the traffic is backed up three, count 'em THREE cars deep? If only there was a way to avoid this horrible congestion on the roadways in rural Texas.

Well, the State of Texas is looking out for you. Or are they?

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Among one of the many purported benefits of the Trans Texas Corridor is relief from traffic congestion. Hey, I'm all for it. I live in Katy, and I drive to work every day and witness the traffic congestion that is a real problem in metro areas and even on some of our interstate highways. Imagine driving from the suburbs to downtown at rush hour and never having to go below the speed limit.

Well, I've got some bad news for you. TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) will have you believe that this new superhighway system, which will consume countless acres of Texas land is the solution to your problems. WRONG! How will a road that barely even comes near a major metro area even begin to relieve traffic congestion? Supporters say that it will eliminate through traffic by allowing it to bypass metro areas. OK, great...BUT, as a daily commuter, I feel it is my duty to inform TxDOT that traffic isn't caused by through traffic, its caused by your average daily commuter on their way to work. Why do you think traffic piles up at rush hour? Its because people are going to and from work in town. It has nothing to do with through traffic. A toll road that does not go through town will not alleviate congestion caused by daily commuters.

I submit to you that it will possibly make traffic worse in major metro areas by postponing or cancelling needed solutions to metro traffic relief because resources are now focused on building a superhighway to, from, and through nowhere.

So not only will it NOT relieve traffic congestion where there actually is traffic congestion, but it will displace thousands of families from their rural homes and family farms, destroy churches, graveyards and the life that so many rural Texans have worked so hard for, and all where there is no traffic! Wow, why didn’t we think of this sooner? Because it MAKES NO SENSE!

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