Abbott promises $4 billion in road funds without TOLLS!
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 In today's state of the state speech, Governor Greg Abbott not only promised to fix Texas' road funding shortfall without tolls, but he also made transportation an emergency item, allowing the legislature to fast track it!
READ ABOUT IT HERE.
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Wolff, commissioners reaffirm tolls for northside of San Antonio
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 Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff did not pull down the resolution. He said TxDOT asked them to pass it in order to get the feds to approve environmental clearance for US 281 - to clarify which agency was going to build the non-toll elements and which one was going to build the toll elements. Commissioners resolutions have nothing to do with securing environmental clearance, the actual study conducted by TxDOT does. This is about political cover. TxDOT districts know Abbott's new transportation commissioners are going to gut these toll roads. So the districts are rebelling against their new Governor and incoming leadership by hiding behind local governments as their excuse to impose tolls. A retired TxDOT higher up in the San Antonio district, who thwarted citizen efforts to get tolls off these roads when he sat on the MPO, Clay Smith, was present there today, and he left as soon as the commissioners passed it. Guaranteed he was involved in getting this to pass despite hundreds of calls asking Wolff not to!
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SCANDAL: TxDOT's $100 million toll collection contract blows up
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 BREAKING NEWS!
It's about time legislators exercise some oversight over this $100 million toll collection contract with Xerox. When 30,000 erroneous bills were falsely issued to legitimate Toll Tag customers with exorbitant fines and fees tacked on, the problem is bigger than anyone imagined! The Senate Transportation Committee grilled TxDOT and demanded weekly reports until the problems are fixed.
Toll roads are a FAILED policy from start to finish.
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Toll-free Texas Day at the Capitol
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Governor Greg Abbott will be joining us!
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Governor Abbott has a plan to keep Texas toll-free. Plan to join us!
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Good Guy Rep. Scott Sanford asked for our help to elevate the toll road issue statewide by hosting a Toll-free Texas Day at the Capitol.
We plan to have an exciting line-up of events, including hearing from Good Guy legislators about their bills (and how we can help get them passed), a press conference, and other activities to help us STOP tolls across Texas. We just learned Governor Abbott will be joining us! So you won't want to miss this important event to get us across the finish line.
Plan ahead by setting appointments with your State Rep. and State Senator that day so you can personally tell them the bills you want them to support (by FAR the MOST effective way to get reps on board with our legislation!). at the Capitol
Monday, March 23
Meet on the South Capitol Steps
9:00 AM
Texas Capitol
Austin, TX
We'll have t-shirts available to help spread the Toll-free Texas message as we walk the halls of the Capitol. If you plan to go and would like one, please let us know so we're sure to order enough. Suggested donation $15. Parking & travel info
Parking is available for $8 at the public parking garage at 12th & San Jacinto. More parking is also available at 18th & Congress at the Texas History Museum for the same price. For those traveling from out of town and don't wish to drive, Mega Bus has CHEAP bus fares to the Capitol. The most affordable hotel near the Capitol is the La Quinta at 300 E. 11th Street (cross street is San Jacinto). |
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SAN ANTONIO:
PUBLIC HEARING for I-35 toll project
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Plan to attend and submit public comment
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 TxDOT is holding an important public hearing on Thursday, February 26 to solicit public feedback on the proposed elevated toll 'managed lanes' on IH-35 from IH-410 to Schertz. If you don't want to pay 50 cents a mile to travel on this vital interstate, show-up and BE HEARD! Even if you never take the toll road, your tax money will build it and bail it out and trucks will pass their toll costs onto YOU through a higher cost of goods. The current MPO plan has I-35 marked for a public private partnership. Cintra is already heavily lobbying to snag this vital interstate - the biggest FREE competition near its failing SH 130 tollway - allowing Cintra to control all routes north-south in Central Texas! PUBLIC HEARING
I-35 Toll Project
Thurs., February 26
5:00 PM
Morgan's Wonderland
5223 David Edward Drive
San Antonio, TX 78233
CAN YOU VOLUNTEER?We need folks to help staff our table and pass out educational fliers to attendees. We also take email sign-ups and help direct folks to where they can offer comment (publicly at the microphone or to a court reporter/transcriber privately). If you would like to help, please contact Sudie Sartor at sudiesartor@yahoo.com or (210) 488-5412. |
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February meeting moved to March
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DATE CHANGE: Due to the I-35 toll project public hearing scheduled on our regular meeting night, Feb. 26, we have postponed our meeting to the following the Thursday to encourage you to attend the I-35 hearing.
Chester's Hamburgers 16699 San Pedro San Antonio, TX (Off US 281 at Thousand Oaks/Mecca exit) 6:00 PM
(Order dinner on your own)
6:30 PM Meeting begins NOTE: We'll also have our regularly scheduled meeting on the 4th Thursday of the month - Thurs., Mar. 26.
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SUBSCRIBE to Terri's columns today!
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Abbott's state of the state speech prmises adequate road funding without tolls
BOOK REVIEW -
Merger of the Century: Why Canada and America should become one country By Diane Francis
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Abbott taps former lawmaker, big donor for new Transportation Commission appointees
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TxDOT spends millions on tuition reimbursements
Much of it to a private not public university! Texas Transportation Reform: Fiscal responsibility FIRST ..........
Tolls impede the American spirit of the open road
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The 84th legislative session is underway and our work kicks into high gear. It requires frequent travel to Austin to meet with lawmakers, testify in vital committee hearings, provide bill analysis for legislators, and get our reform bills PASSED!
A gift of any amount, $10, $20, or more is most appreciated, but we're also in need of ongoing monthly contributions earmarked for the six months of the legislative session. If you're interested, please contact Sudie Sartor here.
We need the resources to STOP tolls on existing roads & to get pro-taxpayer transportation policies and reforms in place.
With HUNDREDS of toll projects planned in Texas, EVERYONE will be effected by these NEW taxes!
Or send in a check to:
Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (or TURF)
PO Box 29254
San Antonio, TX 78229-0254
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"I...place economy among the first and most important of republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared... Taxation follows that, and in its turn wretchedness and oppression."--Thomas Jefferson, Letter to William Plumer, 1816
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