Grass roots leaders on Monday cranked up the heat on Gov. Greg Abbott and Republicans and Democrats in the Texas Legislature to follow through on their repeated pledges when they were seeking election not to support the growth of the toll industry in the state, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"Governor Abbott, he promised in the campaign to fix Texas roads without raising taxes and fees, no more debt, no more tolls," long time anti toll activist Terri Hall told lawmakers. "And yet, the Texas House is pushing more debt and more tolls."
Hall was referring to a measure which is being considered in the Texas House that would allow Regional Mobility Authorities to enter into more 'Public Private Partnerships,' like one proposed for Loop 1604 in San Antonio and the arrangement which spectacularly failed on the south half of State Highway 130.
Hall says the pro toll bill, HB 2861, has been set for consideration ahead of three anti toll bills introduced in the Legislature.
"These would cost 50% more, they put the power to tax in the hands of private corporations, which will have the exclusive right to extract tolls from Texans for the next half century," she said.
Hall and other activists called on Abbott to veto HB 2861 and any other pro toll measure that comes out of the Legislature, with one saying if he does not, it proves that 'the rule of law does not matter' in Texas politics.
Hall said Public Private Partnership toll roads are a scam which allow politicians to show up at groundbreakings and brag about building highways, while 'outsourcing' the money to pay for them to a private, unaccountable company.
Hall says some motorists in the Dallas Fort Worth area are now paying $35 one way to get to work every day. That's like a $70 a day pay cut.
"These public private toll roads allow public officials to outsource the business of tax hikes to a private company, which the public cannot hold accountable."