10-30-07.........Prop 12 funds for Corridor?
To: ACRE (Anti-Corridor/Rail Expansion) email list
Dear Friends—
Proposition 12 on the November 6 ballot will permit TxDOT
to use the state’s general revenue to repay funds that TxDOT
will borrow for roads. Prop 12 authorizes up to $5 billion
for highway improvements.
The improvements are not specified. The Legislature has not
passed enabling legislation, so nothing will happen before the 2009
session. The Legislature will have to authorize the amount
to be borrowed, and determine the permissible uses of the money
in the 2009 session, so voters will not know how much would be spent
or what it would be spent on until it is too late to do anything
about it. Nothing in the amendment would prevent the state
from spending this money on the Trans-Texas Corridor.
Groups that have been working against the Corridor are against Prop
12. Early voting is underway now, and Election Day is November
6.
This is a volunteer email list. Please let me know if you’d
like to be removed. Thanks, Susan
Linda Curtis reports that INDEPENDENT TEXANS convened a panel to
decide their stance on the propositions and this is their opinion
on Prop 12:
PROPOSITION 12—More $ to TxDOT!
Unanimous NO. Do you really want
to give TxDOT more money, while under the current cloud of corruption?
SAL COSTELLO of Texas Toll Party
writes, “Proposition 12 is the largest proposed new debt on the
ballot this year. It would authorize up to $5 billion of state
road debt to be repaid with general revenue instead of dedicated
transportation funds. Yet another accountability breach as
TxDOT is eager to become an unaccountable
taxing authority.”
Sal points out that the unaccountable language of Prop 15 in 2001
led to the situation where “special interests could seize OUR LAND
and OUR ROADS for profit. Don’t be fooled again, help stop
the tax wolf and vote NO on Prop 12.”
TURF (Texans United for Reform and Freedom) notes, “Some opponents
question trusting TxDOT because they believe
the agency has not been straightforward regarding its expenditures
and it would be irresponsible to provide the agency with even more
money not subject to the legislature’s appropriations process.
Transportation projects should be funded through the state highway
fund and not general revenue.”.......
......10-28-07 Results of Toll Road Poll
149 area voters participated in the vote for/against
Eastside Toll Roads on the website...
VoteEastsideTax.org.......
Results.........137 votes against tolling eastside
roads
12 votes favoring eastside tolls
You can see the toll questions and results at
www.VoteEastsideTax.org
Tollroads were subsequently passed for our eastside
by CAMPO. Tollroads are planned for US 290East (from 183 to Tollroad
130), 183 South (from 290E to 71E) and a portion of 71E (near the
intersection of 183 and 71E).
