http://www.austintollparty.com
http://firericwilliamson.com
UNLESS WE GET TX HB3588 AMENDED: Thousands of acres will be removed from county tax rolls in Texas, causing the burden to be shifted to all other properties for school finance. There is a big fat lie in the works at Tx DOT, where they claim not to have enough funds for growth. Our economic growth is indexed to the tax rates which traditionally gave plenty to the state's highways. If we neeed more money, it is far better to raise the gas tax 6-10 cents than to charge 10 cents a mile to drive on our existing highways. 10 cents per mile = $3.40 /gallon tax.
Any relation to the corridor the UN wants to build here?
Several years ago the Fed Tax on gas raised over 50 Billion$ per year, most year less than 30 Bill. was spent on highways. Rest went into Gen. Fund.
A corridor 1/4 mile wide would make a great nuke target (as in China or Russia in 2054), and that would shut down our trade with Latin America and paralyze half the country. Oil, water, frieght, people - all in one hit!
Hope we have missle defense then.
I can't believe it. My in-laws were visiting and told me the tolls were going in, but I assumed Texans would accept A toll highway. For new major road, temporary tolls sometimes makes sense, even with gas taxes--Texas has pretty low ones. But ALL toll highways...that is unacceptable and I hope Texans are up in arms about it.
I like user fees, but if they're going to toll all the highways, the Texas gas tax had better drop to nothing on a state level.
One thing I've noticed in Texas visits is that Texas isn't afraid to build roads. I was in Wichita Falls not long ago and I swear they have the freeway/beltway system of a town three times the size they actually are. 6PM I am cruising down a 3 lane thru the city basically alone.
...and I thought I escaped "construction corruptiobn" when I left MA and moved back home to TX... :-(
FYI
Now that's funny.
Traditionally, highways have been financed by gasoline-tax revenues. But that money now barely covers road maintenance, much less new construction, and raising gas taxes is as politically unpalatable in Texas as it is everywhere else. The state, for the first time, can go into debt by issuing bonds for new roads. Although those bonds can be paid back by a number of possible revenue sources (such as steeper fines for drunken driving), Texas policy now is to look first at tolling for all new highway projects.
Of course it doesn't cover repairs or new construction...because it is wasted by our elected representatives.
President Bush has threatened to veto any increase in the nation's 18.4¢ gasoline tax and has expressed support for tolls on interstate highways. Other states, such as California, Missouri and Minnesota, are closely watching the Texas toll experiment.
Well good no raise in the too high already Federal Tax that is not used for roads anyway.
Wow what a strange thing to see, California watching something like this and not being first with it.
I'm glad to see Texas instead of California being the leader in Liberal spending for a change...
...advocates "time-of-day tolling": tolls that would take effect during rush hours to discourage driving at peak times.
Now there is a good idea...charge more when people HAVE to drive. LOL, like that will slow down the traffic. Geeze.
So lets do it! Build the toll roads and the 1/4 mile everything-way. What will it cost, five bucks per hundred miles?
Being in Calif we only have tolls on bridges...until they are paid off of course. Har.
California is looking at charging drivers a tax per mile driven. New roads are often toll roads. Even old roads are subject to tolls in order to keep revenues coming in, or for suposed upkeep.
Folks, this is nothing more than B.S. We pay a bundle for taxes every time we fill up. The states are stealing that money to pay for items they have no business paying for.
When we sign on to these plans, we are signing on to our own destruction. Tell your state leaders there's no f'n way you're going to pay tolls to travel on roads you've been paying for all your adult life.
As citizens of the United States, we are the easiest softest touches known to civilization. It's time to grow some backbone and tell our leaders the gig is up!
Here's the problem with this idea -- truckers and others concerned about tolls will skip these roads in favor of the free ones. That's what happens in New York City all the time, where the truckers avoid the tolls wherever possible, and know the shortcuts. Can't say I blame them, but that's what happens.
Many people don't remember, but there was a railroad crossing on IH 35 way back when it opened. The tracks are still there, just south of Airport Blvd on what is now the access road. The Interstate was rebuilt to avoid traffic having to stop for trains.
Is that how Time reported on the Big Dig?
You know it is only a matter of time before that whole damn thing is completely flooded from all the little leaks turning into gaping holes.
Not too good for an underwater tunnel!
We can afford it. People don't realize how BIG Texas is until you have to drive across it.
the mayor of austin defended the tolls by saying that in no state, no elected official is crazy enough to endorse a bill to raise highway taxes.
he's probably correct.