Free Republic

A report left out of the public spotlight for more than six months reveals that officials at the Texas Department of Transportation want to toll interstate highways and shelter private investors from paying income taxes on toll revenue. On Feb. 28, Texas transportation officials submitted the report to the 110th Congress entitled “Forward Momentum.” The report did not attract much attention at the time. State lawmakers have only recently begun to speak out about it. Texas state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, called the recommendations a form of double taxation, according to The Associated Press. In the report, TxDOT urges federal...

We are exactly one month away from the second annual Texas Transportation Forum to be held July 18–20 in Austin at the Hilton Austin located at 500 East 4th Street, one block north of the Austin Convention Center. Local, regional and state leaders will join national experts in exploring the solutions to "Keep Texas Moving." The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the Associated General Contractors of Texas, the Texas Good Roads Transportation Association, and the Texas Transportation Institute are co-hosts for the event. The keynote speaker for the opening session on July 19 will be Alan E. Pisarski, author of...

Wilmer-Hutchins ISD officials are having difficultly explaining why they sold a large chunk of an active school property. The sale of Kennedy Curry Middle School, which sits on about 10 acres of South Dallas land near Interstate 20, took place last year in a transaction that was kept quiet until now. On April 12, school board president Luther Edwards and board secretary Dortha Thomas signed off on the sale of 4.5 acres of that property. A quitclaim deed indicates the district received $4,700 for the property at 3501 Soft Wind. Both Edwards and Thomas said they had no idea they...

Senate gives nod to redistricting plan By SEBASTIAN KITCHEN AVALANCHE-JOURNAL AUSTIN — The Texas Sen ate, by an 18-13 vote largely along party lines, tentatively passed a redistricting bill Tues day night that keeps three West Texas congressional districts largely intact. Sen. Teel Bivins of Amarillo was the lone Republican to vote against the bill. The action by the Senate sets the stage for negotiations with the House, which has passed a far different plan — one that gives House Speaker Tom Craddick the district he's seeking for Midland. The Senate plan keeps Lubbock and Midland in Congres sional District...

State redistricting feud talk of annual ginners meeting BY MARY JANE SHORT AVALANCHE-JOURNAL The volatile issue of congressional redistricting continued to reverberate in Lubbock, Austin and Albuquerque on Monday, with words of dissatisfaction, defiance and warning. Gov. Rick Perry's persistence in pushing for redistricting was awakening "a sleeping giant" of formerly apathetic voters, Democratic Sen. Royce West said Monday during a news conference in New Mexico. "We are getting a lot of phone calls from people who never wanted to participate who now want to participate. People who have never been involved in the political process are now starting to...

Lawmakers go to courts Both sides file actions over redistricting feud AUSTIN (AP) — The heated battle between Democrats and Republicans over congressional redistricting moved to the courts Thursday with both sides in the Senate stalemate pressing their cases. Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, both Republicans, made a filing in the Texas Supreme Court asking that the boycotting Democratic senators be ordered back to work. The 11 Democrats, who are holed up in an Albuquerque, N.M., hotel, filed a lawsuit in Travis County District Court asking that state officials or their deputies be prohibited from arresting them...

Letter will air area stand on redistricting By JOHN FUQUAY AVALANCHE-JOURNAL Representatives from seven area cities are expected to send a letter to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst today expressing their desire for West Texas congressional districts to remain unchanged. The action comes a day after a stormy redistricting session in the Senate, where one member abruptly walked out of a committee meeting where members were drafting a map of congressional districts. The letter to Dewhurst reiterates the position that mayors and chamber representatives expressed to him during a private meeting Monday in Austin. Lubbock Chamber of Commerce President Eddie McBride...