State seeks to place tolls on interstate highways

“Replace the state gasoline and titling taxes with a consumption tax on all goods and services of no more than 2 percent.”

Sounds good but, many cities in Texas already charge 13 to 19% tax on hotels and car rentals.(not to mention cigarette taxes) Eventually this is going to hurt tourism and will domino from there.

You could charge an out-of-state fee similar to education costs for all visitors and newcomers. Texas need to put a quota on the amount of people we allow to move here, it’s getting ridiculous.

A possible suggestion would be to use the gas taxes for their intended purpose vs. other uses (see links below). The only purpose of the toll road scheme in Texas is revenue generation and taking private property through emminent domain. We do not relish these schemes that have been shoved down our throats through secretive deals that have been made between TxDot/Perry and Cintra-Zachry.

I drive I-35 quite often when I am back home. I do not see any congestion on it outside of rush hours in built up areas. I can drive from San Antonio to Austin in approximately 90 minutes. Tolling I-35 will not decrease that congestion. It will only force more traffic onto the access roads.

Texas Department of Transportation Uses Gas Tax Money to Lobby for Toll Roads

The Statesman.com

Right now, the Texas Constitution requires that 25 percent of gas taxes go to public education.

Part of the danger is that there were plans to add toll lanes to or convert every major highway in the Austin Area into a tollway- not just one or two, every one!

That is what really bothered me about Texas and CAMPO getting involved with the silly idea of "buying" existing roads and converting them to tool roads. They were trying to find a way to get deeper into our pockets.

Kirk Watson, a notoriously dirty dealing Dummocrat that used to be the Mayor of Austin (gee, dirty democrats in Austin, say it ain’t so!)

I really dislike the politics here in the Austin/Travis county area. Toby Futrell is one of the worst politicians in this area. She got a raise for doing such a good job, she decided to retire. I'd bet she comes back as and "adviser" to the next city manager.

Every one of the local politicians are so crooked, they can hide behind a corkscrew. They won't be buried when they die, they will be screwed into the ground.

Just like the current Capital Metro fiasco. Raise the fares so they can spend more and more. Heck, most of their funds come from the taxes collected in the Metro tax base.

I wish I was brave enough to post my opinion of Kirk Watson, but it would be the filthiest tirade you have ever read, would get this post deleted and me banned from FR.

Dittos from me on that reply.

So, I ask you “no way’ers”, what’s your alternative solution?

You do realize that there's plenty of $$$ for road construction/maintenance, that its just not spent for such???

Political fiscal responsibility, a new concept that needs investigating...

Sounds good but, many cities in Texas already charge 13 to 19% tax on hotels and car rentals.(not to mention cigarette taxes) Eventually this is going to hurt tourism and will domino from there.

That's totally ridiculous. This outrage should either be cut or eliminated.

My opinion still stands, however. Better 2 percent over everything rather than god only knows what, in the future, over gasoline and automobiles.

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