"Someone has to stand in the gap and protect our citizens," Purefoy said. "Too many times the citizens come in last place."
Council tables taking back SH 121 resolution; Perry shrugs
11/18/2005
By Mike Raye
The Frisco Enterprise
Copyright 2005
Strong opinions about the direction Frisco and its neighbors should take on the State Highway 121 tolls multi-government resolution, in the wake of a cool initial reception from the state, were voiced this week by City Council members and staff Tuesday night and by Senator Florence Shapiro Wednesday morning.
Governor Rick Perry, also in town Wednesday to announce the arrival of a T-Mobile technology campus in Frisco, offered no opinion on the matter when asked.
At the media event's conclusion Wednesday, Mayor Mike Simpson announced the governor had a few minutes to take questions from the press, but - relaying a caveat put in place by Perry's staff - said the governor would "only answer questions about this event." After an awkward pause passed without questions the event was wrapped.
Perry lingered for about 15 minutes more, bowing to media requests to make himself available for more diverse questions. The governor answered tough inquiries about FEMA and hurricane relief, border control and other issues, but was ultimately swept away by staffers, citing his "tight schedule."
By the time the subject of highway funding was broached, Perry's availability had ebbed.
"Why isn't there enough money in Texas to build highways?" the governor asked, repeating a Frisco Enterprise question. Perry shrugged, turned and walked away, pausing only to have his picture made with corporate dignitaries.
He offered no answer.
Critics of the state's transportation department would argue therein lies the rub. The state needs roads desperately, but has no solution for paying for most of them.
Unlike the governor, State Senator Florence Shapiro was loaded with strong opinions about 121 and tolls.
"What is the solution?" Shapiro asked. "I absolutely believe that we have to have an agreement that the cities and the county can agree to. I am very supportive of my community, and if we can't find something that is reasonable and that the state will agree to we need to keep trying and find another option and another option. It is not an option to let this project die. It is too important a project for all of Collin County."
Shapiro said the state's highway funding structure is fundamentally flawed.
"That's part of the reason they are building toll roads all the time," she said. "Currently the money we spend (on roads) is only from the gas tax (revenue). We only have enough money to build one third of what we need around the state. Unfortunately for us in Collin County, we will be surrounded on three sides by toll roads. I am adamant that excess dollars raised from these toll roads stay in Collin County."
Keeping local control over toll revenue and the administration of tolls - including setting the price - is the key part of the local agreement between Frisco, Allen, Plano, McKinney and Collin County. The Frisco City Council held a provision in its back pocket should the state reject the five-government resolution that it would enact a resolution to rescind the city's involvement in the partnership.
With a Dec. 15 meeting with the Texas Transportation Commission in Austin ahead, the council voted to wait it out before jumping ship.
"My desire to rescind this is outweighed by my desire to work with our partners, Plano, Allen, McKinney and Collin County," said Maher Maso, the city's mayor pro tem. "I would hate for Frisco to be the lone city to pull out and abandon the coalition we worked so hard to form."
The Plano and Allen city councils voted prior to Frisco's meeting to move forward with the resolution, hoping for the best come Dec. 15.
One idea that has come to the front - in the shadow of the state taking competitive bids from private national and international companies to build the road - is for a local entity well versed with building toll roads in the area, the North Texas Tollway Authority, to build and maintain 121.
"I think the future of this type of program, of highway projects like this, is that Texas companies start bidding on these projects," Shapiro said. "I am very hopeful that will happen, and I mean the North Texas Tollway Authority."
City Manager George Purefoy said standing up against the state, who sees 121 as a "cash cow" and a revenue stream more than a highway is a noble and necessary fight. People most directly affected should be the primary beneficiaries, he said.
"Someone has to stand in the gap and protect our citizens," Purefoy said. "Too many times the citizens come in last place."
©Star Community Newspapers 2005 www.zwire.com
11/18/2005
By Mike Raye
The Frisco Enterprise
Copyright 2005
Strong opinions about the direction Frisco and its neighbors should take on the State Highway 121 tolls multi-government resolution, in the wake of a cool initial reception from the state, were voiced this week by City Council members and staff Tuesday night and by Senator Florence Shapiro Wednesday morning.
Governor Rick Perry, also in town Wednesday to announce the arrival of a T-Mobile technology campus in Frisco, offered no opinion on the matter when asked.
At the media event's conclusion Wednesday, Mayor Mike Simpson announced the governor had a few minutes to take questions from the press, but - relaying a caveat put in place by Perry's staff - said the governor would "only answer questions about this event." After an awkward pause passed without questions the event was wrapped.
Perry lingered for about 15 minutes more, bowing to media requests to make himself available for more diverse questions. The governor answered tough inquiries about FEMA and hurricane relief, border control and other issues, but was ultimately swept away by staffers, citing his "tight schedule."
By the time the subject of highway funding was broached, Perry's availability had ebbed.
"Why isn't there enough money in Texas to build highways?" the governor asked, repeating a Frisco Enterprise question. Perry shrugged, turned and walked away, pausing only to have his picture made with corporate dignitaries.
He offered no answer.
Critics of the state's transportation department would argue therein lies the rub. The state needs roads desperately, but has no solution for paying for most of them.
Unlike the governor, State Senator Florence Shapiro was loaded with strong opinions about 121 and tolls.
"What is the solution?" Shapiro asked. "I absolutely believe that we have to have an agreement that the cities and the county can agree to. I am very supportive of my community, and if we can't find something that is reasonable and that the state will agree to we need to keep trying and find another option and another option. It is not an option to let this project die. It is too important a project for all of Collin County."
Shapiro said the state's highway funding structure is fundamentally flawed.
"That's part of the reason they are building toll roads all the time," she said. "Currently the money we spend (on roads) is only from the gas tax (revenue). We only have enough money to build one third of what we need around the state. Unfortunately for us in Collin County, we will be surrounded on three sides by toll roads. I am adamant that excess dollars raised from these toll roads stay in Collin County."
Keeping local control over toll revenue and the administration of tolls - including setting the price - is the key part of the local agreement between Frisco, Allen, Plano, McKinney and Collin County. The Frisco City Council held a provision in its back pocket should the state reject the five-government resolution that it would enact a resolution to rescind the city's involvement in the partnership.
With a Dec. 15 meeting with the Texas Transportation Commission in Austin ahead, the council voted to wait it out before jumping ship.
"My desire to rescind this is outweighed by my desire to work with our partners, Plano, Allen, McKinney and Collin County," said Maher Maso, the city's mayor pro tem. "I would hate for Frisco to be the lone city to pull out and abandon the coalition we worked so hard to form."
The Plano and Allen city councils voted prior to Frisco's meeting to move forward with the resolution, hoping for the best come Dec. 15.
One idea that has come to the front - in the shadow of the state taking competitive bids from private national and international companies to build the road - is for a local entity well versed with building toll roads in the area, the North Texas Tollway Authority, to build and maintain 121.
"I think the future of this type of program, of highway projects like this, is that Texas companies start bidding on these projects," Shapiro said. "I am very hopeful that will happen, and I mean the North Texas Tollway Authority."
City Manager George Purefoy said standing up against the state, who sees 121 as a "cash cow" and a revenue stream more than a highway is a noble and necessary fight. People most directly affected should be the primary beneficiaries, he said.
"Someone has to stand in the gap and protect our citizens," Purefoy said. "Too many times the citizens come in last place."
©Star Community Newspapers 2005
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Friday, November 18, 2005
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