After 10 years of advocacy in the Texas legislature, leadership FINALLY passed what the grassroots demanded - a road funding solution to greatly reduce if not eliminate toll roads in Texas.

Rather than increase taxes, Prop 7 dedicates some of the existing general sales & use tax as well as vehicle sales tax to the state highway fund. These funds can ONLY go to NON-TOLL roads or to retire existing state road debt. Together with Prop 1 that passed last year and ending the non-education gas tax diversions, this will give TxDOT nearly a $5 billion a year boost in funding.

In San Antonio, local officials have made the 281 project non-toll contingent upon passage of Prop 7. If it doesn't pass, 281 may be reverted back to a toll road. The same is true for I-10. Other areas of the state have identified similar road projects for Prop 7 funds, including I-35 in Austin!

READ TERRI'S ARTICLE ON PROP 7

Spread the word!

Vote 'Yes' on Prop 7

Early Voting: October 19-30
Election Day: November 3

The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) for the Dallas-Ft.Worth area is holding public meetings asking for YOUR FEEDBACK on the area's long-range (20 year) regional transportation plan.

Now is the time to flood the council with public comment asking them to eliminate toll roads from the plan using Prop 1 and Prop 7 funds. This should be the priority over adding NEW projects into the plan. Ask them to stop diverting road funds to expensive transit, rail, and bike projects.

The RTC is actually proposing to spend MORE on transit than roads in the near-term while DFW highways are choking with congestion!

Tell them:
"Eliminate toll roads from the plan using Prop 1 and Prop 7 funds. This should be the priority over adding NEW projects into the plan. Stop diverting scarce road funds to expensive transit, rail, and bike projects that few ever use."

Email comments to: transinfo@nctcog.org
To submit via web: www.nctcog.org/input

After years of being told there is no way to fix I-35 without tolls, Prop 7 (should it pass) FINALLY put a non-toll proposal on the table in Austin. This is why we insist on putting restrictions on ANY new money sent to TxDOT - it's the ONLY way to force toll roads OFF THE TABLE and to get projects done WITHOUT TOLLS!

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority or CTRMA (the toll agency) has a habit of keeping its toll road traffic and revenue studies SECRET from the public. We've tried ever since 2007 to make this practice illegal, however, under former Governor Rick Perry, these agencies were allowed to keep the studies secret from the public as long as they labeled it a DRAFT document.

Even the Austin American Statesman published a SCATHING editorial stating this vital financial information MUST be made public. Begs the question, what is CTRMA trying to hide? They know once the public has access to the disastrous financial information on these toll roads the level of public bail outs (subsidies), the backlash would be swift and sure!

The Texas Department of Transportation has scheduled a public meeting for Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 4:00 PM to receive comments on the November 2016 updates to the 2016 Unified Transportation Program (UTP).

You may participate in this meeting via WebEx or in person at your local TxDOT District Office.

To join the meeting via WebEx, please click on the link for the UTP Public Involvement web page. This is also where you go to submit comments online.

Since virtually ALL of TxDOT's new funds cannot go to toll projects, be watching for how TxDOT proposes to designate any new projects being proposed for its 10-year plan (UTP).

Tell them:
"The priority for funds should be to take tolls off of existing projects and make them non-toll rather than ADD new projects to the plan. There's little point to 'expanding' highways if only the few can ever access those new lanes. Taking tolls down MUST BE the new priority at TxDOT."

We need to make that message heard LOUD & CLEAR!

TURF revealed its long-awaited 2015 Report Card from the 84th Legislative Session today.

Many voters want to know how their elected leaders did in delivering on their promises to restrain toll roads.

With campaign season in full swing in many areas of the state, it's vital for voters to know how their representatives voted while in office so they can hold them accountable. Now's the time to compare notes to what was promised and what was actually delivered.

Spread the word about TURF's Report Card on social media!