I have no problem with Cintra making money as such. I have no use, however, for companies that achieve profit at the expense of citizens who receive less than the potential value for their real property due to the state exercising the power of eminent domain. Being an advocate of limited government, and not an anarchist, I recognize the power of eminent domain as being necessary, a necessary evil if you will, to carry out the legitimate functions of government. The construction of public highways has been a function of government since at least the days of the Romans. It is hard to imagine how private enterprise could effectively own or manage city streets, rural roads, and other avenues of commerce. Road and street construction and maintenance are legitimate functions of state and local governments (though not the Feds).
I am not an opponent of toll roads per se, as they provide a more rapid means to build roads than do gasoline tax revenues. Dallas has greatly benefited from the Dallas North Tollway and the Bush Turnpike, and the same could no doubt be said for the Houston area toll roads. However, these roads are operated by commissions appointed by the Governor and local officials. The commissioners are supposed to operate for the general good of the citizens and are answerable to state and county officials. No one group of citizens benefits exclusively from the toll roads operating in Houston and Dallas. The same cannot be said for the Cintra proposal.
I am skeptical as to whether the Trans Texas Corridor is a good idea, although the intercity capacity of the current Interstate system is seriously deficient. The involvement of a for profit private entity benefiting from eminent domain power is unacceptable.
Excellently stated - and in a lot more mature way than I'm able to do it.
It should be incumbent on the people that are pushing this plan to show us how are interests are being looked after. Canada just found out that Cintra has screwed them for the next 50 years. Governor Perry will not be in his job for the next 50 years, so who do we turn to when we find out that he cut a deal with Cintra that basically screws us for half a century? At least there is some accountably when the state owns a road - tolls or not.
And your point about the government using eminent domain to take from one group of people, and then give to another group of people is very scary needs to be shutdown by the Supreme Court. It was not the intent of the 5th Amendment, but it has been done in MANY other areas (like "community redevelopment").