2004 Republican Party of Texas Victories

Congratulations and a heart-felt thank you for all of your hard work during our recent victories from the Texas court houses to the U.S. White House! What a pleasure it has been to serve with you in such a successful battle for the heart and soul of America.

Last week, Republicans won impressive victories at every level of government. In Texas, Republicans won 87% of all races from District Attorney and up. With the world watching, we helped re-elect our own President George W. Bush, wh

• Became the first presidential candidate to win more than 50% of the popular vote since 1988.

• Received the most votes by any presidential candidate in history - over 58 million, even breaking President Reagan’s 1984 mark of 54.5 million votes.

• Garnered 7 million more popular votes than in 2000 - more than twice the amount that former President Clinton increased his vote between 1992 and 1996.

• Increased his percent of the vote from 2000 in 45 out of 50 states, including a 4 percent increase in John Kerry’s home state of Massachusetts .

• Became the first President re-elected while gaining seats in the House and the Senate since 1936, and the first Republican President to be re-elected with House and Senate majorities since 1924.

With regard to the U.S. Congress, we added four seats in the U. S. Senate and at least three seats in the U. S. House (with several still pending). Winning five new congressional seats in Texas, Texans are sending the strongest Republican congressional delegation in the country to Washington, D.C.

At the State level, we gained or retained every statewide office for the fifth consecutive election cycle. In Texas, the Democrats focused their efforts on gaining State House seats. Despite those intense efforts – and millions of dollars poured into these races by personal injury trial lawyers – Republicans still hold a strong majority (87-62, with one race still undecided).

While results continue to be collected from around the State, Republicans gained at least 112 new county level seats! Texas Republicans won in every region of the State, including traditional Democrat strongholds in South Texas and East Texas. Of particular note, Republicans put leaders in local office for the first time in Bowie, Knox, Palo, Presidio, and Tyler counties. This is a clear indication that Republicans are on our way to becoming the majority party throughout the State of Texas.

The Republican Party of Texas, through its Victory 2004 program, operated five major volunteer centers, where you helped process over 3 millions pieces of mail and phone calls on behalf of Texas candidates. In addition, nearly 2 million recorded-message phone calls featuring celebrities and public figures were delivered, and more than 2500 volunteers were deployed during the final 72-hours of the campaign. Thanks and kudos to Victory 2004 Chairman Michael Williams and Executive Director Bill Noble for leading such a remarkable effort! A mighty thanks also to Polly Sowell for leading the Mighty Texas Strike Force, a team of more than 1500 volunteers who worked for the President in battleground states.

In addition, the Republican Party of Texas provided well over 2.5 million pieces of mail and phone calls on behalf of Texas House candidates and helped secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct funding for these candidates. Further, the Party sent over 150,000 phone calls into traditionally Democrat areas on behalf of local candidates. And, the State Republican Party’s Executive Campaign Committee contributed almost $100,000 directly to candidates in county-level races.

Given the national Democrat strategy to falsely allege voter fraud and intimidation that was exposed on national news, the Republican Party of Texas also implemented a critical ballot integrity program. Thanks to our General Counsel Rene Diaz and his cracker-jack team of attorneys for their efforts.

All in all – it was and remains a great day to be a Texas Republican! I cannot thank you enough for your sacrifice of time, talent, and treasure. As you know, your sacrifice helps us put our message of hope and optimism for the future into public policy, and our lives – and the lives of our children and grandchildren – will be better for it.

P.S. Again, thank you for your commitment to the Republican Party. Together, we are building a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. The Republican Party of Texas has already begun the process of developing a strategic plan for the 2006 elections. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help in your area.

HB3588 is the omnibus transportation bill which has set off a firestorm of opposition due to the confiscation of 580,000 acres of property for the Trans-Texas Corridor, conversion of state highways to toll roads, etc.

Well, confiscation is a pretty strong term, and I'll be honest with you, I'm not that familiar with the project. The website you linked has a ton of information/data. If you're "up" on the ins and outs of the project, could you distill it into, say, a couple paragraphs. Sortof an executive summary maybe?

There have been a couple of discussions on FR concerning the conversion(of projects under construction?) to toll roads. What little I followed didn't seem to arrive at a concensus either way. Each side(taxes vs tolls) seems to have its advantages and disadvantages. My gut instinct is to avoid toll roads at almost any cost. They never seem to get paid for for some strange reason. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say they get paid for over and over again?

FGS

Actually the Bush signs and bumper sticker sales were a good fund-raiser for our local candidates.

The Bush signs and bumper-stickers were "knockoffs" (with appropriate disclaimers printed on them) made by a Texas printer, with a knowing wink from the Bush Campaign.

Had TX GOP or our local offices bought them from the Bush Campaign or had they donated them to us, it would have counted as federal campaign contributions. Don't you just love Campaign Finance Reform? Besides the official Bush signs and bumper-stickers were better used in battleground states, not wasted on Texans, who overwhelmingly voted for Bush regardless of whether they had to pay for a sign or bumper-sticker.

Most people went along with paying for Bush stuff, once it was explained that it benefited local Republican campaigns. But there were a few cheapskates that expected a free sign - some even wanted us to drive out and put it in their yard. They must be borderline Democrats. ;)

My guess is that TX GOP spent their (our) money on lawyers to counter the Rats lawyers and voter fraud schemes, and coordinating GOTV efforts of Texas Republicans shipping out to battleground states right before the election. Of course some of their efforts went to key congressional campaigns that took out some of the Rats that won't be going to DC for the new Congress session (Frost-less DC - priceless. :)

You are correct> I will be doing more to itemize the issues into a digestible format. Today I got a dcopy of David Stall's press release. >>

"CORRIDOR WATCH" PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT: David Stall
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 979.378.4116
davidstall@corridorwatch.org
http://www.corridorwatch.org
November 15, 2004

TOLL & CORRIDOR SUMMIT – JOINT STATEMENT

On November 13, 2004, CorridorWatch.org hosted the state’s first Toll & Corridor Summit: A Grassroots Leadership Meeting, in Austin, Texas. More than 50 individuals and leaders of various organizations from across Texas attended the Summit. They arrived at the state capital from communities located in a dozen different counties.

Toll conversion opponents, community leaders, and advocacy groups for topics ranging from environmental issues to property rights called for this summit to discuss their concerns with toll roads, the Trans Texas Corridor, and other provisions of law adopted last year.

A workshop was convened by representatives of ten organizations following a morning session and lunch keynote address by Representative Terry Keel (R-Austin). Six organizations representing regional interests in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, were joined by four statewide organizations to discuss their concerns about plans and actions set into place by House Bill 3588 passed during the 78th legislature.

At the conclusion of the afternoon a consensus had been reached among all ten participants to support a Joint Statement. The resulting Joint Statement will now be taken back to the boards and/or membership of each organization for their consideration of official ratification.

2004 TOLL & CORRIDOR SUMMIT JOINT STATEMENT

We, the participants in the November 13, 2004, Toll & Corridor Summit, agree that House Bill 3588 that authorizes the Trans Texas Corridor and the tolling of roads financed by non-toll highway taxes is bad for Texas.

Here are a few reasons we believe House Bill 3588, passed by the Legislature in 2003, and the plans it has authorized are bad for Texas:

It is designed to generate revenue first and provide transportation second.
It creates potential for tremendous liabilities created by Comprehensive Development Agreements.
The Plans are based on uncertain assumptions. The plans are predicated on a projection that Texas population growth will continue at a rate of 30,000 new residents per month.
It doesn’t solve urban congestion and traffic problems.
Private investment and public-private partnerships place an emphasis on profit instead of transportation.
Costs too much money! It doesn’t matter whether it is tolls, fees, or taxes. If they create the debt (pubic or private) we the citizens of Texas will ultimately pay the tab whatever you call it.
It turns private land into State land. More than one-half million acres will become government property used not only for transportation but also as State owned rental property in direct competition with private business.

Toll roads represent double taxation. Motorists already pay for highways at the gasoline pump, vehicle registration counter, and at auto supply retailers.

We agree to work together to further identify our specific concerns with the various provisions of law created by House Bill 3588 and collectively, and individually, pursue all necessary revisions of such laws during the next session of the Texas Legislature.

Specifically, we will seek to eliminate the Trans Texas Corridor, tolling roads financed with gasoline and other highway taxes, and other toll tax abuses.

The Joint Statement workshop included representatives of these organizations:
Citizens Against State Highway to Toll Road Abuse and Proliferation (Tomball)
Citizens’ Transportation Coalition (Houston)
CorridorWatch.org (statewide)
Oak Hill Association of Neighborhoods (Austin)
People for Efficient Transportation (Austin)
Save Our Springs (Austin)
Sierra Club (statewide)
Stop121Tolls.com (Dallas)
Texas League of Conservation Voters (statewide)
Texas Wildlife Association (statewide)

Additional organizations that were unable to attend will be given the opportunity to join together with these participants by ratifying the Joint Statement.

CorridorWatch.org is an organization of concerned Texans and public officials who question the wisdom of the Trans Texas Corridor. Together with our members in eighty-five counties, our mission is to increase public awareness and understanding of the Trans Texas Corridor and its impact on Texas and all Texans.

CorridorWatch.org can be found on the Internet at www.CorridorWatch.org.

# # #

CONTACT INFORMATION:

David Stall, Co-Founder
512 791.4628 Austin
979 378.4116 Fayetteville
979 378.4234 Fax
davidstall@corridorwatch.org

Long range project going out into the mid century time frame looking at transportation needs that encompass both east/west and north/south elements. It is tied somewhat to the incoming South American flow of goods into the heartland of America. A major portion of which will come through Texas and its ports of entry. Anyone spending much time on the current Interstates will realize that something will have to be done to handle the congestion, imo. How and when is the real questions.....

Trans Texas Corridor

Trans-Texas Logo The Trans-Texas Corridor Plan outlines a new vision for transportation in Texas. Specifically, it provides a design concept, identifies four priority corridor segments, details the financial tools that will make it happen and addresses the importance of public-private partnerships. Finally, it presents an action plan for the first steps in implementation.

VISION
To advance Texas on a new multi-use, statewide transportation corridor that moves people and goods safely, efficiently and more reliably, improving our quality of life.

CHALLENGE
To prepare Texas for the future by:

Providing a safer, faster and more reliable means for people to travel across the state
Reducing congestion
Safely transporting hazardous materials
Reducing air pollution
Creating a transportation system to support economic growth

ELEMENTS

Roadways
- Passenger vehicle lanes - three separate 12-foot lanes in each direction
- Truck lanes - two separate 13-foot lanes in each direction
Rail component (each has two tracks, one in each direction):
- High speed passenger rail
- Freight rail
- Commuter rail
Dedicated utility zone - water, electric, natural gas, petroleum, fiber optic and telecommunications
Dimensions - the corridor will be approximately 4,000 miles in length and up to 1,200 feet wide

FINANCING OPTIONS

Exclusive Development Agreement
Toll Equity
Regional Mobility Authority
Texas Mobility Fund

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