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Bill to eliminate toll roads passes House, now Senate Committee

But there's a catch...

After the debacle with House leadership blocking our key amendments to HB 13 and HB 20, they threw us a bone with passage of HB 2612. Rather than pass our bill to require ALL tolls to come off the road when they're paid for (as well as end system financing which would stop 99% of all current and future planned toll roads), it asks TxDOT to give a report to the legislature on the cost to take tolls off some current toll roads and lay out a plan to accelerate the pay-off of toll debt or buying them out in a lump sum now.

It does NOT apply to tollways funded completely with bond debt by another entity, like the Harris County Toll Authority or North Texas Tollway Authority. So it only applies to roads with state funding - not ALL toll roads.

So while passage of HB 2612 (passed the full House and just passed the Senate Transportation Committee yesterday) is progress from where we are today, it doesn't tell the whole story. Leadership in both chambers has blocked our bills (HB 1734 & SB 485) to eliminate ALL tolls once the debt is retired, which would also prevent most current toll projects from advancing due to our bills' restrictions on their Robin Hood financing schemes. Their bill would only require a plan to eliminate some tolls and does nothing to prevent the current tsunami of planned toll roads across Texas.

When HB 2612 passes the full Senate, which it will since it was sent to the Local and Uncontested calendar, it's certainly a VICTORY and the result of LOTS of hard work, but it's not what the grassroots demanded and not what the GOP put in its platform.

Postcards from the lege...

Capitol update on transportation & property rights

Summary:

GOOD BILLS -

PASSED HOUSE COMMITTEE
SB 1237 (Taylor, V.) - To require MPOs to broadcast and archive their meetings. This is a good government, transparency bill that makes it easier to watchdog these local transportation boards that meet during the workday.

HB 2620 (Burkett) - To make toll traffic and revenue studies/forecasts available to the public. Currently, these vital financial studies can be kept SECRET!

PASSED FULL HOUSE
HB 1394 (Burns) - To allow counties outside the four counties that govern the NTTA to have a say in toll projects that come through their counties. It begins with an advisory committee, but under certain conditions, they could gain representation on the NTTA board. While we hate the idea of expanding the NTTA's jurisdiction, counties affected by NTTA toll projects need to have a say in the tax burden being imposed on their constituents.

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BAD BILLS -

PASSED FULL HOUSE
HB 1324 (Israel) - To create a pilot program to allow shoulders of highways to be converted into bus-only lanes in Bexar, El Paso, Tarrant, and Travis counties. This elevates one mode over another, giving special access to buses that aren't provided for all vehicles. It also restricts our ability to expand our highways with lanes open to all vehicles because the shoulders will now be used for bus lanes. It virtually assures any future expansion will have to have a bus-only lane once the program is in operation.

HB 2549 (Davis, Y.) - To prevent the North Texas Tollway Authority from impounding vehicles unless specifically permitted to do so by a tolling service agreement. We initially thought this was a good bill to stop the impounding of vehicles, however, if they simply sign a tolling service agreement that allows the practice, they can still detain motorists and impound your vehicle. It also reduces the amount of time given to pay toll bills from 30 days to 25 days (from the time the invoice was mailed - not from the time you actually receive it), and it prevents a court from waiving fines and fees unless the person is determined to be indigent.

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WATER AND PETITION RIGHTS UPDATES:

The League of Independent Voters has a crucial update on some water and petition rights bills. Please see their ACTION ITEMS here and here.

MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD
Toll lanes on I-10 in SA & DFW input needed

Attend the Open House to get comments on the record

San Antonio -

This will be one of the few public meetings on adding 4 new toll lanes to I-10 (from La Cantera to Ralph Fair Rd.). TxDOT is holding an Open House, not an actual public forum, where citizens can hear a presentation and respond to the proposal and hear feedback and ideas from fellow neighbors. TxDOT is doing the minimum possible to avoid having to face the public opposition to their toll plans. You can still get comments on the official record by speaking to a transcriber or in writing on comment forms at the Open House.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME?
Toll rates during peak hours will be 50 cents a mile or $6/day in new taxes!

They also plan to have the toll lanes double as bus lanes and HOV lanes. The new direct connect ramps at the interchange will also be tolled, so will all additional lanes on Loop 1604. So a commute into San Antonio just got expensive! Eventually, all highways into and out of the Hill Country are slated to be tolled!

I-10 Toll Project

Open House

Tuesday, May 19

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Leon Springs Baptist Church - Worship Center

24133 Boerne Stage Road
San Antonio, TX 78255

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DFW -

The North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Regional Transportation Council are asking for public input on updates to its project list. Concerned citizens need to focus on a consistent message: Use ALL new funds coming from the legislature to REMOVE toll elements on existing projects BEFORE adding ANY new projects to the plan.

Submit comments here by June 9 at midnight.

AUSTIN -
Tolls scuttled for now on South MoPac, but onslaught continues

typical toll booth located on i-75 in southwest florida

The Capital Area MPO (CAMPO) adopted its long-range plan known as the 2040 Plan. This plan includes converting auto lanes into bus-only lanes, toll lanes on I-35, and a host of wasteful projects. The only good news is that the toll lanes planned for South MoPac have been shelved for now.

NEXT MEETING JUNE 4

Plan to join us for our next meeting. We'll give you a complete wrap up how transportation and property rights legislation fared in the 84th Legislative session as well as the local toll road scene.

TURF Meeting

Thursday, June 4

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: Our May meeting has been pushed to June 4 due to the last days of session. This will be our final meeting before the summer break!

BE IN THE KNOW...

GET THE SCOOP FIRST! SUBSCRIBE TO TERRI'S COLUMNS

Traffic light with red light lit blurred background

Straus forbids anti-toll amendments from being heard

READ MORE HERE.

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Toll agencies testify to keep financial studies SECRET from the public

HEADLINES...

a car standing on euro bills. costs for the purchase of automobiles, gasoline, insurance and other car costs

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New financing tool could get I-635 expanded without tolls