07.25.06

My Impressions From A TTC Hearing

Posted in Around The State, Road Issues, Williamson County at 11:47 pm by wcnews

We made it to Taylor High School around 6:15 and made our way to the entrance. Approaching the entrance we were greeted by several Democratic candidates running in Williamson County – Brig Mireles, Jim Stauber and Karen Felthauser, as well as WCDP Chair Richard Torres – no sight of any Republican candidates. Upon entering the building Hank Gilbert is there greeting entrants and handing out information. Next, sign in at the TxDOT table. Get a packet of goodies, maps (that weren’t cheap to print), a Myth vs. Reality sheet, and a list of questions and answers to fill you in on what the TTC is all about. By the time we finished signing in we were hustled into the auditorium for the video and presentation because, “It will only be given once and will not be repeated”. My uneducated guess is between 250 and 300 people are in attendance.

Before the festivities started several elected officials were announced. Benito Gonzales, Mayor of Taylor, several other Taylor officials whose names I didn’t get. Along with Jonas Miller from Rep. John Carter’s office and Pat Berryman from Sen. Steve Ogden’s office.
THE VIDEO:

Not much to it. Just a vague flyover of why this is needed with a lot of non-qualifying words like “could”, “may”, and “can” being used about the many different ways the TTC could be built. It attempts to make a case for what a boon it will be for Texas and makes many mentions of moving “goods” through the state. East Texas look out because you’ve got the TTC-69 headed your way.

THE PRESENTATION:

During the presentation several things become apparent. This has nothing to do with alleviating traffic, of the commuter kind, in particular. If that is an off-shoot by taking some of the truck traffic off of current highways, the so-be-it. But these are not roads people from the suburbs are going to travel on a daily basis. This is a huge taxpayer giveaway and land grab to pay for roads to help corporations move their product through the Americas. Creating massive corridors for moving “goods” from South of Texas into and throughout the rest of North America. But the overriding purpose of the presentation is to lay out the TTC with a straw man argument, It’s either this or nothing. In that paradigm of course doing something, no matter how bad it is, doesn’t seem so bad, as opposed to doing nothing. But there are many more things we could do than this.

Before I go into the testimony phase a few things need to be said. This is being touted as many things depending on the argument needed by TTC officials or TxDOT, etc. As an example one is the argument that the TTC will bring economic development to rural Texas. It won’t. On/Off ramps will be few and far between and will bypass the small towns it doesn’t pave over. Concessions, as they call them – gas stations, hotels, stores – will be inside the corridor where the state will reap the benefits, not the local community. I assume those former farmers will be working at the “concession stands” where their farms used to be.
TESTIMONY:

The rules were set out. 3 minutes per person, face the transcriber so she can hear you if you’re not close enough to the microphone. That’s what Mr. Dieter Billek tells those who are going to testify. He, and he alone is the only one on the stage with a huge blue screen counting down the time. It’s starkly evident from this that no one at the TTC or TxDOT  really cares about what is being said at these hearings. Quotes from my notes below:

One man says, “If you live in Texas you’ll need to get a new Governor, State Senator and State Representative.” Names Rick Perry, Steve Ogden and Mike Krusee specifically.
[...]

A 10 year old boy says, “I just want to be a farmer”, and gets an ovation.

[...]

One woman tells of her land that’s been in her family for a long time.  It has now had seven generations on it. The deed from Bell County is #68 and her ancestors are buried on the land. She says, “This body and these ancestors won’t go easy”.

[...]

A woman asks for a show of hands in the room from those that are for the TTC, four go up. She then says, “You don’t have traffic problems in the rural areas, you have it in the cities.” This draws an ovation.

[...]

A woman stands up and reads Barbara Radnofsky’s stance against the TTC. She then says, “Isn’t it convenient that this meeting is being held when the farmers can’t be here because they’re in the fields harvesting their corn?”

[...]

Next is Hank Gilbert and he speaks directly to Mr. Billek.  His voice resonates as, among other things, he tells us he’s a third generation rancher and is raising the fourth at home.  He’s got my vote and probably the votes of most in the room too. He gets an ovation for saying, “We must vote against everybody that voted for this.”

[...]

Another women says, “The TTC is Gov. Perry’s vision. It’s more like a nightmare.”

All in all it was a great place for those who are already against this thing to show up and voice their concerns.  Who else will hear it though, I’m not sure. The crowd was full of people who vote, mostly those with something to lose and people who are…north of 40, shall we say. Not many young people in attendance. Which means there was a pretty big element of preaching to the choir involved.  I don’t know how much this will help spread the word beyond those that are already aware of and against this issue.  Heavy sentiment of anti-incumbency, that’s for sure.

That’s about all my scrambled brain can remember at this time.  I’ll sleep on it and probably have more tomorrow.

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