State Agrees to Stop Diverting Highway Construction Money

WOAI Radio ^ | August 22, 2008 | Jim Forsyth

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Governor Perry and other state leaders have agreed to bring a halt to the practice which some say has led to toll roads...the diversion of money from the state's highway fund to other projects, 1200 WOAI news reports.

"Implement a plan that sets a definitive course to end the practice of funding the Department of Public Safety with gas taxes that are needed for road construction, and return to funding the DPS with general revenue," is the first goal in a long term transportation funding plan released by Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, and House Speaker Tom Craddick.

1200 WOAI news has reported extensively on twenty years of efforts to divert gasoline tax money meant to be used to build roads into not just the DPS but to a string of pork-barrel projects, including construction of roadside historical markers, paving parking lots, and other projects only vaguely connected to transportation. A total of $9.7 billion has been diverted by greedy lawmakers over the course of the past ten sessions.

The proposals also calls for creation of the Transportation Finance Corporation, which would allow public investment funds, like teacher pension funds, to be invested directly into toll road construction.

Lawmakers would also authorize the appropriation of so called Proposition 12 bonds approved by voters in November.

Proposition 12 bonds would be bonds backed by the state's highway fund which would be used for highway construction.

"Issuing these bonds needs to be a long term set of solutions for solving our state's transportation problem," Tex-DOT's Chris Lippincott said.

Taxpayer advocates praised the commitment to stop diverting highway money.

"It is critical that the diversion of dedicated fuel tax dollars come to a stop," said Justin Keener, Vice President of the libertarian-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation. "We are pleased to see agreement to fund DPS from general revenue instead of gas taxes the public expects to be spent on road construction."

But questions were raised about the investment of teachers pension fund money into toll road projects. Some analysts have said that steadily rising gasoline prices, and the cut in driving which those higher prices will continue to cause, will make toll roads less profitable and less desirable in the coming years, especially if alternative types of transportation, like the proposed commuter rail line between San Antonio and Austin, become reality.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Trans-Texas Corridor PING!

[coalman]

well,if every state would use the money for what it was intended,there would be good roads everywhere,,they can’t resist the temptation to use it for everything but roads

[jim_trent]

Unfortunately, this is happening in all 50 states. Some more than others (for example, California has long been in first or second place for diverting money), but politicians everywhere have found that diverting money from road projects is so much easier than raising taxes to fund their petty projects.

As said above, if ALL diverted money was returned to the roads projects, we wouldn’t have the problem we do right now with substandard roads.

[wolfcreek]

First, it’s interesting the state’s general fund is so fat.

Second, what about the gax taxes that go to education?

Third, if electric cars become popular, IMO, they should have to pay something toward the gas tax.

[Moonman62]

Sounds like Enron to me. Send him to jail and W too if it happened on his watch.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[dfwright]

It will be interesting to see if this goes any further than “talking” and “making plans”... I’ll believe it when I see it.

[urtax$@work]

GoneFromTexas for 20+yrs with occasional visits.
Could not beleive the number of toll roads they
suckered the citizens into funding. There use to
be only ONE TOLL ROAD— was “infamous” between
FTWorth & Dallas.......

Now, even the small ETEX town Tyler is building a toll road loop!!! http://www.loop49.org/

[SecAmndmt]

Politicians who won’t limit spending are not to be trusted.

My expectation is that nothing of substance will change.

[rstrahan]

They just announced that I-35 between Lewisville and Denton is going to be widened, 4 lanes each side, with 2 toll lanes on each side. State says it will take 9-10 years. This will be a disaster for traffic during that 9 years. NTTA (tollway authority) could build it in 3 years of less, based on their construction history.

TXDOT could save billions by just turning over the construction to the NTTA.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

PING.

[nothingnew]

Some analysts have said that steadily rising gasoline prices, and the cut in driving which those higher prices will continue to cause, will make toll roads less profitable and less desirable in the coming years, especially if alternative types of transportation, like the proposed commuter rail line between San Antonio and Austin, become reality.

Follow the money.

The public starts driving less; less gas taxes collected; get the money from a different tax or toll or fee or surcharge. The behemoth will always be satiated.

I know how we can stop this in it's tracks......VOTE THEM OUT!!!.......Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Yeah...right...

I do know how to stop it though. I just won't say it here, lest I get a midnight visit from the IRS.

FMCDH(BITS)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The NTTA could pay a few billion up front, the way they did with TX 121, for the privilege, but they’re already swimming in debt FROM TX 121.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

If I said how I’d wish to stop political intransigence, BATFE would pay me a visit.