Strayhorn: 2 mobility authority board members should resign

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF ^ | Wednesday, March 09, 2005 | By Ben Wear

[Arrowhead1952]

State comptroller, after audit, says they have conflicts of interest

By Ben Wear

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, in an audit released today, called for the resignation of two Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority board members, claiming that conflicts created by their business holdings "should have prevented their appointment in the first place."

Strayhorn singled out board Chairman Robert Tesch, a Cedar Park developer appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, and Johanna Zmud, an Austin transportation consultant named by the Travis County Commissioners Court.

The audit raises questions about Tesch's ownership of 254 acres within two miles of U.S. 183-A, the toll road under construction by the Mobility Authority. The route of that road, however, was set before Tesch joined the board.

The audit notes that Zmud's company does transportation-related studies for the Texas Department of Transportation, which has worked closely with the Mobility Authority on U.S. 183-A.

The 84-page report was requested by state Rep. Terry Keel, R-Austin, and Austin City Council Member Brewster McCracken in September. In it, Strayhorn has made 27 recommendations, including:

•Requiring county commissioners courts to approve any toll-road designations in their counties.

•Removing the governor's power to appoint regional mobility chairs.

•Requiring regional mobility authority board members to disclose all real estate holdings.

•Prohibiting any agency from charging tolls on a road that began construction without being designated as a toll road.

The comptroller also recommended that all regional mobility authorities be required to hire a contract management professional and have an in-house general counsel. The Central Texas agency, in its two years of existence, has depended on private attorneys and has no contract management professional.

[Arrowhead1952]

Toll road update....

[anymouse]

Usually Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn is grandstanding (including now), but clearly there are
problems at the Mobility Authority. What is with Gov. Perry
and Texas transportation infrastructure planning anyway? He better start figuring out that Texas Republicans expect transparent, accountable government or he will be looking at it from the outside after the 2006 election.

[Arrowhead1952]

I don't understand the thinking of Carole Keeton Strayhorn (_________________ insert last name here) on this issue. The board members bought the land BEFORE they were appointed to the CTRMA and TXDOT decided where the roads will be built. There were six different "possible" routes for 183A, and the one picked was chosen BEFORE the current board was appointed - like he was able to see into the future.

I heard the land one of them owns is 2 miles away from 183A. How can that be conflict of interest?

I agree, Gov Perry better get his stuff in order. More than likely, he will run for Senator Kay Baily Hutchison's Senate seat, and she and Carole (__________________) will run against her for governor.