Monday, October 05, 2009
Texas Roads?
The agency would like to suspend drivers’ licenses and deny vehicle registrations when people fail to pay tolls and related fines, and grant the same power to companies operating toll ways for the state.
Republican Rep. Mike Krusee, chairman of the House of Transportation, authored two bills that greatly expanded the DOT’s tolling power. Complaints have rolled in that TxDOT was using its financial might to coerce local officials to play along, which, of course, they deny. The agency is pushing for 50 to 70 year concession deals with companies offering cash up front in exchange for profits that motorist would have to pay in higher toll fees.
Some Texas lawmakers say they have gone too for, and Repubican Sen. John Carona says, there is a growing concern about the wide authority that has been given to the TxDOT in recent years, as well as the abuse of that authority. He said, “I believe the Legislature will either significantly rein in TxDOT, or at a minimum be very reluctant to pass any of the initiatives TxDOT brings forward”.
Well, let me see. We have a Republican majority in the senate and in the legislature. We also have a Republican Governor. These are the same people who gave the TxDOT that authority in the first place. Dear Senator Carona, I think I hear the sound of bullshit being spread.
