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Challenging the Wisdom of the Trans Texas Corridor.
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Issues & Concerns |
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Issues & Concerns: Public Safety
Issues & Concerns: Homeland Security
Issues & Concerns:
Questionable Assumptions
Issues & Concerns:
Comprehensive Development Agreements
Issues & Concerns:
Environmental Impact
Issues & Concerns: Public Finance
Issues & Concerns:
Local Business Impact
Issues & Concerns:
Private Property Rights
Issues & Concerns:
Tourism Industry
Issues & Concerns:
Misplaced Transportation Spending
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Public Finance
Local financial losses and costs.
Today's Interstate
Highway system was built to provide access to the hundreds of
communities along their path. Those communities in turn provide
services, especially emergency services, necessary for the highway at no
cost to the state. Local taxpayers fund the fire and emergency medical
services that serve long stretches of the highway. The only appreciable
exception to local support is the Highway Patrol. Even then significant
law enforcement support is provided to the DPS by city and county
officers.
This level of support
seems appropriate since each of these communities directly benefit from
the highway. Their gas stations, tow services, restaurants, motels, and
stores provide traveler services. The local economy is enhanced and the
trade is often a good one.
The TTC however will
take away the highway frontage and easy access and offer traveler
services provided by state concession operators. What local communities
will benefit from those expenditures? NONE.
Depending on the
placement of the TTC and access points, local agencies will likely find
it difficult and more costly to provide emergency services. When they do
the local taxpayers will have the pleasure of contributing their money
to support a state revenue generator.
Private profiteering is not in public interest
Serious
concerns are being raised about allowing the private sector to
capture excess toll revenues as private profit when the revenues
generated could otherwise be used for public transportation
purposes.
[NW
Financial Group Report, 11/01/2006]
State Senator
Jon Lindsay complained in the Houston Chronicle newspaper that
the Texas Department of Transportation is now accepting toll
road proposals based on which offers the most money to the
state. He says, "Great for the state; bad for the users.
Although the private group has to pay large amounts to the
state, they don't care because they can pretty much charge what
they want to the users."
[State's Game? Highway extortion, 01/06/2007]
Toll roads represent double taxation.
"Motorists already
pay for highways at
the gasoline pump, vehicle registration counter, and at auto supply retailers.
They should not have to pay for highways again when they exercise their right to
travel on them." [proposition
15, house briefing paper]
Too much money!
We simply can't afford
a $184 BILLION Dollar project. It doesn't matter whether it is
tolls, fees, or taxes - If they create the debt (public or
private), we the citizens of Texas will ultimately pay
the tab whatever you call it. Urban centers will pay even more
just so they can address their own problems and connect their highways to the Corridor.
"Based on an estimated cost of $31.4 million per centerline mile, the 4,000-mile corridor would cost $125.5 billion, not including right of way and miscellaneous costs. Factoring in right of way
at $11.7 billion to $38 billion and miscellaneous costs at $8
billion to $20 billion, the estimated total cost for the Trans Texas
Corridor would range from $145.2 billion to $183.5 billion."
[plan]
(2000 dollars)
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Report:
Then there were two... Indiana Toll Road vs. Chicago Skyway:
Analytical Review of Two Public/Private Partnerships, A Story
of Courage and Lost Opportunity (11/01/06) [NW Financial Group] |
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This Page Last
Updated:
Monday January 08, 2007 |