PAC Group MobilityNOW is pushing Montgomery County's $160 million road bond.
Area businesses push to pass bond issue
9/09/05
Howard Roden
The Courier
Copyright 2005
Construction companies and engineering firms represent more than one-third of the contributors to the political action committee in support of Montgomery County's $160 million road bond.
According to records provided by the PAC group MobilityNOW, at least 24 of its 68 contributors are businesses with a connection to transportation construction or design. Of those 24 contributors, 19 are either prequalified construction companies or precertified engineering/design consultants with the Texas Department of Transportation.
MobilityNOW Chairwoman Nelda Luce Blair isn't surprised by the financial support from those companies because the bond election "affects their business," even in an indirect way.
"Of course, they're going to be interested in what happens here," said Blair, an attorney from The Woodlands. "But we also have other contributors who will benefit (from the bonds) by driving our roads every day."
On Saturday, county voters will decide the fate of a first-of-its-kind road project in Texas, euphemistically referred to as the Pass-Through Toll Agreement. Project's supporters contend the bonds will serve as seed money to ultimately fund approximately $360 million in local and major state highway improvements throughout the county.
Initially, the county will spend $219 million on five major state road projects, while the four County Commissioners will share in another $60 million for local road improvements in their respective precincts.
TxDOT has contractually agreed to reimburse the county approximately $207 million to either pay for construction costs, retire bond debt or fund future state road projects.
Although MobilityNOW released its list of contributors earlier in the week, Blair said her PAC group continues to receive financial support. MobilityNOW has raised around $20,000, she said. Blair said she sent out 5,000 e-mails and faxes to individuals and companies soliciting contributions.
"Most of them are previous supporters of elected officials in our area, so it was logical that they would want to support this, too," she said.
Two of the biggest contributors - Huitt-Zollars, Inc. ($1,500) and HNTB Corporation ($550) - are engineering firms with offices throughout the country. Some of Huitt-Zollars' projects in Texas include the George Bush Turnpike (Texas 190) in Dallas, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Center.
HNTB Corporation is another major player in transportation engineering; with in-state projects including the U.S. 75-Interstate 635 "High Five" interchange in Dallas and the Dallas North Tollway. An official from Huitt-Zollars' Houston office declined comment Thursday, while no one was available for comment at HNTB's Houston location.
County Judge Alan Sadler said MobilityNOW intentionally sought contributions of only $275 to encourage individual participation. He is not surprised by the response from those companies associated with the transportation/mobility industry.
"These contributors understand the importance of good roads and they strongly believe in the road bond issue," he said. "The goal (of MobilityNOW) was not to spend one dime of taxpayers' money and we accomplished that."
With a $1,000 donation, The Woodlands Development Company is the second-largest contributor to MobilityNOW. Bob Stout, government relations consultant for The Woodlands Development Co., said the amount of the company's donation reflects its "interest and leadership" on the bond issue.
"Development requires infrastructure and the most important basic element of infrastructure is transportation/mobility and schools," he said. "This one of those areas that is of vital interest to a development company (like The Woodlands Development Co.) that has a long history of community development and support."
Early voting, which ended on Tuesday, attracted a turnout of 1,073. Blair said her committee would continue its media blitz with a full-page advertisement in Saturday's edition of The Courier.
"I feel real good (about the bonds' passage)," she said. "I looked at where the early voting took place and it was pretty even across the county. I will be incredibly disappointed if the bonds don't pass. I know of a lot of people who support (the bonds), but it would mean they didn't go out and vote."
A total of 20 polling locations will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday throughout the county.
Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@mail.hcnonline.net.
©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2005: www.zwire.com
9/09/05
Howard Roden
The Courier
Copyright 2005
Construction companies and engineering firms represent more than one-third of the contributors to the political action committee in support of Montgomery County's $160 million road bond.
According to records provided by the PAC group MobilityNOW, at least 24 of its 68 contributors are businesses with a connection to transportation construction or design. Of those 24 contributors, 19 are either prequalified construction companies or precertified engineering/design consultants with the Texas Department of Transportation.
MobilityNOW Chairwoman Nelda Luce Blair isn't surprised by the financial support from those companies because the bond election "affects their business," even in an indirect way.
"Of course, they're going to be interested in what happens here," said Blair, an attorney from The Woodlands. "But we also have other contributors who will benefit (from the bonds) by driving our roads every day."
On Saturday, county voters will decide the fate of a first-of-its-kind road project in Texas, euphemistically referred to as the Pass-Through Toll Agreement. Project's supporters contend the bonds will serve as seed money to ultimately fund approximately $360 million in local and major state highway improvements throughout the county.
Initially, the county will spend $219 million on five major state road projects, while the four County Commissioners will share in another $60 million for local road improvements in their respective precincts.
TxDOT has contractually agreed to reimburse the county approximately $207 million to either pay for construction costs, retire bond debt or fund future state road projects.
Although MobilityNOW released its list of contributors earlier in the week, Blair said her PAC group continues to receive financial support. MobilityNOW has raised around $20,000, she said. Blair said she sent out 5,000 e-mails and faxes to individuals and companies soliciting contributions.
"Most of them are previous supporters of elected officials in our area, so it was logical that they would want to support this, too," she said.
Two of the biggest contributors - Huitt-Zollars, Inc. ($1,500) and HNTB Corporation ($550) - are engineering firms with offices throughout the country. Some of Huitt-Zollars' projects in Texas include the George Bush Turnpike (Texas 190) in Dallas, the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Center.
HNTB Corporation is another major player in transportation engineering; with in-state projects including the U.S. 75-Interstate 635 "High Five" interchange in Dallas and the Dallas North Tollway. An official from Huitt-Zollars' Houston office declined comment Thursday, while no one was available for comment at HNTB's Houston location.
County Judge Alan Sadler said MobilityNOW intentionally sought contributions of only $275 to encourage individual participation. He is not surprised by the response from those companies associated with the transportation/mobility industry.
"These contributors understand the importance of good roads and they strongly believe in the road bond issue," he said. "The goal (of MobilityNOW) was not to spend one dime of taxpayers' money and we accomplished that."
With a $1,000 donation, The Woodlands Development Company is the second-largest contributor to MobilityNOW. Bob Stout, government relations consultant for The Woodlands Development Co., said the amount of the company's donation reflects its "interest and leadership" on the bond issue.
"Development requires infrastructure and the most important basic element of infrastructure is transportation/mobility and schools," he said. "This one of those areas that is of vital interest to a development company (like The Woodlands Development Co.) that has a long history of community development and support."
Early voting, which ended on Tuesday, attracted a turnout of 1,073. Blair said her committee would continue its media blitz with a full-page advertisement in Saturday's edition of The Courier.
"I feel real good (about the bonds' passage)," she said. "I looked at where the early voting took place and it was pretty even across the county. I will be incredibly disappointed if the bonds don't pass. I know of a lot of people who support (the bonds), but it would mean they didn't go out and vote."
A total of 20 polling locations will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday throughout the county.
Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@mail.hcnonline.net.
©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2005:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Friday, September 09, 2005
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