07.01.09
Approving CDA’a & non-compete clauses is a big mistake
That should be the message that every state legislator should hear and understand. Selling off our state’s transportation future to corporations for 50 years, for profit, that won’t improve congestion is a bad idea. Every elected official in Texas needs to know that voting for these give-aways will put their political future in jeopardy. From SB 3:
A comprehensive development agreement with a private participant that includes the collection by the private participant of tolls for the use of a toll project may be for a term not longer than 50 years from the later of the date of final acceptance of the project or the start of revenue operations by the private participant, not to exceed a total term of 52 years.
Via Texas TURF, Help us STOP foreign-owned toll roads = $13 a DAY in NEW taxes! Public pension funds at risk, too!
CDAs also eat-up virtually ALL of our available gas taxes and other highway funds to prop-up toll projects that aren’t even toll viable (can’t work without subsidizing them). Read about the deals in North Texas that use $1 billion dollars of EVERYONE’s gas taxes and public funds, but you won’t be able to use it without paying $13 a DAY in homage to Spain here.
They tell us the private operators are bringing all the money to the table so it’s okay to sell-out the taxpayers in sweetheart deals (like non-compete agreements that prohibit ANY new lanes or NEW roads from being built that would “compete” with the private operators toll cash cow as a way to GUARANTEE congestion on free roads). But the FACT is our GAS TAXES and other PUBLIC money are going into these deals, in some cases more public cash than private. CDAs also mean massive multi-generational DEBT!
Sen. Carona then adds this idiotic statement, “we can’t build roads for free…” Gee, thanks for talking to us like children Senator. We know they don’t come free and we also know that corporate toll road schemes just wind up costing much more than any other option in the long run. We’d rather pay for them with a fair tax system. Sen. Carona you now have the upper hand. Gov. Perry wants a quick deal to save his political future, use this opportunity to kill the CDA’s so we can get a real fix for transportation in Texas next session.
The people know these are bad deals, and we’re watching. Thanks, bye.
Two out of three ain’t bad - Off the Kuff said,
July 1, 2009 at 4:16 pm
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