12.21.06
Watson Wants To Delay CAMPO Vote On Phase II Toll Roads - [UPDATED]
Delaying the vote is a good idea. Here’s the article, Senator-elect’s suggestion comes as chamber issues report calling for CAMPO changes. Also there are changes coming to CAMPO:
Watson’s recommendation, shared in a Wednesday e-mail with CAMPO board members, comes as a Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce task force prepares to issue a report today calling for major changes to CAMPO. Watson was chairman of that task force.The 58-page report says the “level of mistrust among key players in the CAMPO organization is staggering” and recommends trimming the board to 18 members. That reconfigured board would have just three legislators instead of 10 and would include two new members representing small cities. Changing the board would require the governments in the three-county CAMPO area to amend their agreement.
Check out the quote from Rep. Krusee:
“I think a smaller board is a good thing because it’s become unwieldy,” said state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County, a CAMPO board member and the chairman of the House Transportation Committee. “And some members clearly have not been interested in actively participating.”
Nothing like a close election to moderate an elected officials tone. This sounds promising. Time will tell.
[UPDATE]: Sal says, not so fast. This may just be backroom shenanigans, CAMPO House of Games.
But the heart of the tricky back room deal being cut is this: 1) Watson and others will trot out a new plan. 2) They will claim the new plan will remove “toll lanes†and this is a victory for the people. 3) The new plan will include “managed lanesâ€.
That would explain why everyone’s playing so well together in the AAS article. From yesterday’s post you can listen to the KUT item to hear about managed lanes.