05.08.09
CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee
More from the TxDOT Sunset debate
[UPDATE]: HB 300 just passed to 3rd reading on a voice vote.
[UPDATE]: DMN’s Transportation blog has there take on the final product here.
The amendments which Texas TURF yesterday stated they were against, which are also bills making it through the lege, were pulled down yesterday.
2) Menendez/Frost et al to re-authorize CDAs (NO, NO, MAY IT NEVER BE!!!!!!!!)
Subsections (f) and (i), Section 223.201,Transportation Code, (HB 1557/SB 404 - Wayne Smith/ Carona)
-to re-authorize CDAs/PPP public private partnership toll contracts that sell our highway system to the highest bidder and result in extremely high tolls like the 75 cents a mile or over $3,000 a YEAR in new toll taxes on two CDAs with Cintra in DFW (I-820 & I-635). Read about the NIGHTMARE it here: http://texasturf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=641&Itemid=23) Wayne Smith that gives the appearance of “public protection” for CDAs, but allows them to waive these steps and jump right to a CDA putting our highway system under the control of foreign corporations!
SECTION 1. Section 223.201 (f) and (i), Transportation Code, COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS (HB 2929/SB 17- Wayne Smith/Nichols)
-It gives the illusion of public protections for CDAs, but has a get out of jail free card, a waiver clause, in it that would allow for an unlimited amount of CDAs to be signed for 6 more years, should they be re-authorized.
QR is reporting that those two bills taken up by the House Transportation Committee next week:
The debate over comprehensive development agreements, or CDAs, will be deferred to next Tuesday’s House Transportation Committee. Two bills will be coming over — Nichols’ Senate Bill 17 and Carona’s Senate Bill 404 — for discussion.
While there was an amendment added to “restrict toll roads in Texas…the kind of deals that Cintra wanted to make“, there were many exempted from this restriction because of current projects.
But the amendment contains at least 10 exceptions for road works already underway, and even after it passed other members got worried and brought it back on the flood later this evening to add additional exceptions.
More have been added today.
If also appears that red light cameras are going away, Red light cameras on the chopping block.
Sunsetting TxDOT « Off the Kuff said,
May 8, 2009 at 2:55 pm
[…] there can still be changes made, and the Senate still needs to take action. More here, here, and […]
Susan Garry said,
May 9, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Very big, very complicated. Maybe the Senate will think it has to start over with it. But whatever else, contact your Representative and Senator to keep the amendment to kill the Trans-Texas Corridor in HB 300. It is intolerable to keep the authority to do this hanging over the heads of rural landowners.
Texas Progressive Alliance – Monday, May 11, 2009 | BlueBloggin said,
May 10, 2009 at 11:33 pm
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week, CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]
Eye on Williamson » Texas Blog Round Up (May 11, 2008) said,
May 11, 2009 at 7:40 am
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week, CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]
» Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up: 5/11/2009 - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! said,
May 11, 2009 at 12:47 pm
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week, CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]
Our First Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Round-Up « TexasVox: The Voice of Public Citizen in Texas said,
May 12, 2009 at 2:44 am
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week, CDA/PPPís kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]
Texas blog roundup for the week of May 11 « Off the Kuff said,
May 12, 2009 at 4:13 am
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week, CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]
Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up With Bat Photo « Texas Liberal said,
May 16, 2009 at 10:38 am
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week: CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]
Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up With Bat Photo | city of baytown said,
May 18, 2009 at 1:20 am
[…] WCNews at Eye On Williamson has a wrap-up of the action taken on the TxDOT Sunset bill in the House last week: CDA/PPP’s kicked to House Transportation Committee. […]