03.01.07
More From The Hearing
Ben Wear is posting on the hearing at the AAS. In one post he uses one of the his familiar refrains:
Committee chairman Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, has filed several bills this session that would roll back the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to build toll roads and put them in the hands of private companies.
[…]
Carona has filed a bill that would increase the state gas tax by tying it to the increase in road construction costs.But the Senate cannot initiate tax increase legislation. Carona would have to amend a House bill instead, and there is a candidate. That bill is more modest, however, allowing the gas tax to increase only with the consumer price index.
Will either pass, or be signed by Gov. Rick Perry? The odds remain low on that.
Mr. Wear always points to the fact that it will be next to impossible for anything to pass or, much less, be signed by the governor. While the ultimate goal is to stop the TTC, it’s certainly realistic to realize that it probably will not be stopped this session. But what’s most important is to get everyone on the record. But the beauty of having these bills and having them in the process is that it will show the public - who is paying very close attention now - who will not allow their will to be done - the TTC to be stopped. If these bills do not come forward in either or both chambers it will be because the leadership of those chambers or committee votes or floor votes will not allows it. Those votes will show who did not allow these to move forward. And one thing even Ben Wear can’t deny is that those opposed to the TTC have serious passion and are watching closely. Those political moves will have consequences and this time, as this hearing is showing, everyone will be very aware of what they are voting for or against.
In 2008 they will all be held to account for their votes. If these schemes are allowed to proceed it won’t be because of Democrats. It will be because the Republicans, in conjunctions with corporations, will not allow them to be stopped. And as said before, if these deals are allowed to proceed, this will mark the beginning of the end of Republican dominance of politics in Texas. And that Mr. Wear is what these hearings and this legislative session will show.