The 84th legislature is about to begin Tuesday, January 13 at the Texas Capitol in Austin. So far, both Governor-elect Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick are keeping their campaign promises. They campaigned on stopping the toll train and shoring-up the chronic road funding shortfalls and in all the early media stories spelling out their legislative priorities for the session, road funding is still at the top of their list.

TURF will be in Austin throughout the session to ensure not one dime of the new road funding goes to support any toll road or elements of a toll project.
 

The reason why Prop 1 is so open for abuse right now is the fact TxDOT is still short $3 billion a year in road funding (lawmakers knew this when they put Prop 1 on the ballot). So even with the infusion of new oil and gas severance tax, it's still inadequate to remove all the toll projects on the books and get our roads fixed without tolls. Prop 1 was designed as part of a package - to be just one-fourth of the total funding solution with more coming 'later.' But honestly, it's a bail-out for lawmakers & budget writers from having to come up with $4-$5 billion in existing revenues to fund roads (since they're adamant they won't raise taxes - however we're not fooled, TOLLS ARE a TAX and the MOST expensive, least accountable tax to fund roads).

But who these men appoint to lead the Transportation Commission and Senate Transportation Committee will really show their true colors. We'll know more in a few weeks.

If you haven't yet, please contact your State Representative and ask them to vote for Scott Turner for Speaker of the Texas House. Current Speaker, Joe Straus from San Antonio, has failed to end diversions of the gas tax, failed to properly fund roads, advanced every toll road bill - including the sale of TX highways to foreign corporations in his own backyard and across Texas, allowed gas taxes, sales taxes, & property taxes to be used to build and bail out toll projects that can't pay for themselves, and BLOCKED all of our reform bills. Straus MUST GO! Turner has signed onto our legislative agenda and earned a 'B' on TURF's Report Card (Straus earned an 'F'). See Scott Turner's web site here.

A coalition of grassroots groups have organized a headquarters at the La Quinta near the Capitol for strategy sessions & briefings on the Speaker's race and other key issues.

Where: Lady Bird Room, La Quinta, 300 East 11th Street (walking distance to the Capitol)

    *    9:00 am Opening Prayer: Senator-elect Bob Hall
    *    9:05 am State Senator-elect Bob Hall will give an overview of the new senate
    *    10:00 am Michael Quinn Sullivan (Empower Texans) and special guest
    *    Noon - Lunch
    *    1:15 pm Jo Ann Fleming, Grassroots America, the 84th Legislative Session Ahead
    *    3:00 pm State Rep. Jonathan Stickland presents conservative House team
    *    4:00 pm State Rep. Scott Turner, candidate for House Speaker
    *    5:00 - 9:00 pm Networking

    *    Grassroots visit legislators at the Capitol before the legislature convenes at high noon. After swearing in, first order of business is the election of the Texas Speaker of the House
    *    Approximately 4:00 pm at the La Quinta, wrap-up of the Speaker's Race with State Rep. Scott Turner.

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