A couple of lines that TXDOT, Rick Perry, and those that push the TTC use over and over again are the following. These are not direct quotes but are darn close to it.
"We don't have the money to build the needed roads and if you think the federal governement is going to have the money you are wrong there to."
"There will be no tax dollars going into the building of this road."
Well, we all know this is a lie and the financial plans laid out by Cintra for TTC-35 clearly indicate that a significant portion of the funds to build TTC 35 will come in the form of federal highway loans. Well, here is more proof.
Here's a quick excerpt from an article I found. The article is dated March 13, 2008.
"Officials with the Spanish toll road operator Cintra have announced that the company has secured $430 million in loans from the U.S. government to build and operate two segments of a toll road in central Texas."
See the story below for more details.
Cintra announces securing of federal loans to build road
The next time you hear RICK PERRY, TXDOT, or ANYONE, say that no tax dollars will go into building a road that we will then be forced to pay to drive on, you can and I encourage you to call BS.
This just burns me up to no end. Crooks and Liars...all of 'em.
Showing posts with label TTC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TTC. Show all posts
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
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???
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!
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!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Proof that HB1892 guts the TTC
I've said it many times. HB1892 is our best chance to put an end to the Trans Texas Corridor. Sure, it only contains a two year moratorium. But the provisions allowing local metro tolling authorities control and operate toll roads in their areas is what cripples the TTC.
Click here for the proof.
An alliance formed years ago to advance the development of Hwy 59 from Houston to Laredo into an interstate, I69, is falling apart over HB1892. The alliance has encouraged Governor Perry to veto HB1892. Harris County Toll Road Authority, likely its biggest contributor and member, is about to drop out of the alliance over the alliance's stance that Perry should issue the veto. HCTRA wants local control. The alliance realizes that if HCTRA has local control, then the toll road in other areas, probably won't get built.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT!
Go ahead and veto it Rick 'King' Perry.
To the rest of us. Call your Senator and Representative and reiterate your support of HB1892. We are literally a week or two away from getting what we've been hoping for. Let's push this one over the goal line.
Click here for the proof.
An alliance formed years ago to advance the development of Hwy 59 from Houston to Laredo into an interstate, I69, is falling apart over HB1892. The alliance has encouraged Governor Perry to veto HB1892. Harris County Toll Road Authority, likely its biggest contributor and member, is about to drop out of the alliance over the alliance's stance that Perry should issue the veto. HCTRA wants local control. The alliance realizes that if HCTRA has local control, then the toll road in other areas, probably won't get built.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT!
Go ahead and veto it Rick 'King' Perry.
To the rest of us. Call your Senator and Representative and reiterate your support of HB1892. We are literally a week or two away from getting what we've been hoping for. Let's push this one over the goal line.
Monday, May 14, 2007
How do you spell smokescreen? SB792
Does anyone else get an uneasy feeling about all these late dealings regarding HB1892 and SB792? Do you get the feeling that those who are causing all this fuss are fully aware and intending to erode support for HB1892. I've said it before. Perry hates HB1892. He doesn't like a moratorium but along with all the other limits and controls in HB1892, he absolutely despises it.
Why does the Governor not like HB1892? I'll tell you.
Not only does HB1892 declare a moratorium on any new private development agreements, but it severely hurts the profit potential for private companies on the TTC. It does this by giving local toll road authorities the right to develop and control roads within their areas without TXDOT interference. This is a severe blow to the TTC. It takes away the very areas that promise to be the most profitable stretches of road along the TTC. A toll road in the middle of nowhere is useless to a private company. It won't make any money because traffic will be too light. However, were the private company to control and operate that same toll road in/around major metro areas it could prove profitable by funnelling traffic onto these more profitable segments. Take away the profitable segments and the private operator has no potential for profit. Take away profit from large road construction contractors and private investment dries up. Take away private investment and profit potential and CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS dry up. That is why Rick Perry hates HB1892. It gives local control over roads and takes away his power to appoint favorable transporation commissioners and planners who will sell roads to the highest bidder. Sure, HCTRA and other major toll authorities can sell us out too...but its a lot easier to stir up enough voting public anger in local areas than it is to do so statewide. Giving control to local authorities puts more power in the hands of the people who vote...making it a local issue, controlled locally by voters. King Perry wants nothing to do with voters making decisions. He's the KING...or so he thinks.
Call your rep and Senator and express your continued support for HB1892 and tell them not to be distracted by Perry's crying and SB792.
Why does the Governor not like HB1892? I'll tell you.
Not only does HB1892 declare a moratorium on any new private development agreements, but it severely hurts the profit potential for private companies on the TTC. It does this by giving local toll road authorities the right to develop and control roads within their areas without TXDOT interference. This is a severe blow to the TTC. It takes away the very areas that promise to be the most profitable stretches of road along the TTC. A toll road in the middle of nowhere is useless to a private company. It won't make any money because traffic will be too light. However, were the private company to control and operate that same toll road in/around major metro areas it could prove profitable by funnelling traffic onto these more profitable segments. Take away the profitable segments and the private operator has no potential for profit. Take away profit from large road construction contractors and private investment dries up. Take away private investment and profit potential and CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS dry up. That is why Rick Perry hates HB1892. It gives local control over roads and takes away his power to appoint favorable transporation commissioners and planners who will sell roads to the highest bidder. Sure, HCTRA and other major toll authorities can sell us out too...but its a lot easier to stir up enough voting public anger in local areas than it is to do so statewide. Giving control to local authorities puts more power in the hands of the people who vote...making it a local issue, controlled locally by voters. King Perry wants nothing to do with voters making decisions. He's the KING...or so he thinks.
Call your rep and Senator and express your continued support for HB1892 and tell them not to be distracted by Perry's crying and SB792.
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