Town Hall Meetings..OR...Something else???

Having attended a town hall meeting I can't help but wonder what the actual reason for these meetings is?

Here is the stated goal for the town hall meetings.

These town hall meetings, unlike the formal project public hearings that many Texans have attended, will allow attendees to discuss the corridor and its impact to Texas with TxDOT officials. It also will allow attendees to get their questions answered about the corridor and statewide transportation policy. In short, these town hall meetings are a conversation that will lead to solutions to Texas’ current and future transportation challenges. "

Could it possibly mean this? "These town hall meetings, unlike the formal project public hearings that many Texans have attended, will allow attendees to discuss the corridor and its impact to Texas with TxDOT officials WHERE COMMENTS ARE NOT ON THE OFFICIAL RECORD."

I'm staring to believe that these town hall meetings are a way to get people to attend, voice their opinion, and then skip the formal and ON THE RECORD public hearings. This allows TXDOT to say they listened but avoid the hassle of having to document the fact that nobody likes/wants the plan.

What do you think???

My TTC Townhall Experience

Not much time to type right now so I'll make it short. A couple of things that jumped out at me during the meeting in Rosenberg were the following.

I was there for almost three hours and I didn't hear one single person say they supported the current TTC plan.

That leads me to my next observation. The TXDOT commissioner at the meeting said that he was surprised by the amount of displeasure and disgust with the plan. He stated that he hadn't gotten that feeling from the previous town halls. I almost fell out of my chair when he said that.
The entire room burst out in overwhelming sounds of disapproval and disgust. I went onto the KHOU 11 website here in Houston for the news footage of the Hempstead meeting and the same TXDOT Commissioner said the same thing at that meeting with the same crowd reaction. Amazing and revealing at the same time. Read through the public comments included in the environmental impact statement for TTC-69 and it is painfully obvious that most people want nothing to do with this road or this plan.

The first two lead me into my final point. This one really hit home. I'm not sure who else picked up on it but the TXDOT commissioner said time and time again that they were 'federally mandated' to ask for public input as part of the environmental review process. He made it painfully clear that he was fulfilling a federal mandate...nothing more. He has to do it...he doesn't want to. I don't think there is any way to sum it up better.

TXDOT IS FEDERALLY MANDATED TO SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT BUT NOT MANDATED TO LISTEN TO IT.

...and they have shown no ability to listen as of yet!

Town Halls and Public Hearings for I-69 Corridor

TXDOT will be having town hall meetings and public hearings about the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the I-69 corridor. The schedule can be found HERE.

If you get a chance, read through the EIS. It can be found HERE. If possible, come to the meeting with specific questions and concerns. The more specific your concern is the more likely it can be addressed and not just shrugged off as a general comment. Ask direct questions if you expect direct answers. If possible, cite particular statements or parts of the Environmental Impact Statement.

If you are unable to read through the EIS attend the meeting anyway and listen to the concerns of others. If you have general concerns voice those as well. Let them hear you.

Yes, you need to attend. No, you will not get answers if you go to the meeting. What do I mean? Well, if past meetings are any indicator, TXDOT will do everything in its power to ignore your opinion. From booking meeting rooms that don't hold enough people so they can 'legitimately' turn people away, to publicly ridiculing people who stand up and voice opposition to the plan. Don't let them get away with it. They work for you and should be expected to listen to and answer your concerns.

Please attend! Forget about moratoriums and everything that happened last summer. Make sure your opinion is heard and recorded.

Oppose new attempts to 'FIX' transportation issues

Why should your rep oppose SB792?

Because HB1892, with moratorium language attached, calls for a 2 year study on the privatization of our roads. We don't need hastily done legislation like SB792. We need time to study our options. Late night fixes and compromises with the Governor and TXDOT are not what the public wants. We want a halt to this privatization madness and the time to study our needs more in depth.

All the noise now about 'problems' with HB1892 is being blown out of proportion for political gain. It was quick, hastily voted on, middle of the night legislation that got us to where we are today. During debate on HB1892 on the senate floor senators expressed concerns with passing legislation in a hasty fashion. That is exactly what is going on right now. We don't need it again. Let me tell you how this will play out.

This can play out three ways...two of them bad
Script 1: BAD

• Perry and TXDOT complain that HB1892 has 'problems'


• Legislature (Carona, Krusee and company) come up with hasty 'fixes' in large bill, SB792.


• Legislature hastily approves legislation and sends to Perry.


• Perry vetos HB1892 in preparation for hasty legislation (SB792)


• SB792 is found to have flaws because it was done so fast.


• Perry can now claim that he has to veto it because of its flaws and legislature either doesn't have the time or the will to override the veto of SB792 and HB1892 is now gone as well.

Script 2: BAD

• Perry and TXDOT complain that HB1892 has 'problems'


• Legislature (Carona, Krusee and company) come up with hasty 'fixes' in large bill, SB792.


• Perry vetos HB1892 in preparation for hasty legislation (SB792)


• Legislature is unable to agree on SB792 and we are left with nothing.


• Support for HB1892 is eroded and no veto override happens.

Script 3: GOOD

• You call your rep and senator and tell them to ignore SB792 and stick to HB1892.


• Governor Perry vetos HB1892


• Legislature overrides his veto because they aren't distracted.


• TTC is effectively dead because of provisions in HB1892 limiting its profitability.

Pass HB1892 and let the studying and careful consideration begin.