Toll roads: "Unfair and un-Texan."
Opponents: Toll Roads Create 'Second Class Citizens'
2/17/2006
Jim Forsyth
WOAI (San Antonio)
Copyright 2006
.
Toll road opponents in Texas, emboldened by a strongly worded letter from Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larsen to Governor Perry calling toll roads 'unfair and un-Texan,' are preparing a bold new strategy to expand opposition to tolls to all groups of people, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Terri Hall, San Antonio coordinator of the anti toll group 'Texas Toll Party' says anti toll activists will claim that toll roads are a 'divisive' measure which will 'separate people by class and income.'
"This is going to create two classes of people in San Antonio, and will keep good working class and middle class people off the best roads in Bexar County," Hall said.
She said the toll road proposal is 'outrageous' because it will divide people based on their incomes.
"Our society is going to be basically segmented into two different categories, those who can afford to pay tolls and can have efficient travel, and those who can't afford to pay the tolls and will be stuck on congested highways as second class citizens for the rest of their lives."
Hall also cited a plan to prohibit construction of new free roads that would compete with toll roads.
Larsen is the latest public official to come out strongly against the plan to build toll roads, first on Highway 281 outside 1604, and then on 1604, Interstate 35 and other highways. The 281 plan has been held up due to environmental concerns.
"The State Legislature has continually cannibalized the state motor fuel tax to balance the state budget," Larsen wrote. "The Legislature needs to begin demonstrating stronger discipline while utilizing the state motor fuel exclusively for new highway construction and maintenance."
Larsen says any toll proposal on new lanes of existing highways, in his opinion, amounts to unconstitutional 'double taxation.' Send news tips/story ideas to WOAI...
Get local news delivered directly to your inbox...
© 2006 CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING, INC. www.woai.com
2/17/2006
Jim Forsyth
WOAI (San Antonio)
Copyright 2006
.
Toll road opponents in Texas, emboldened by a strongly worded letter from Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larsen to Governor Perry calling toll roads 'unfair and un-Texan,' are preparing a bold new strategy to expand opposition to tolls to all groups of people, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Terri Hall, San Antonio coordinator of the anti toll group 'Texas Toll Party' says anti toll activists will claim that toll roads are a 'divisive' measure which will 'separate people by class and income.'
"This is going to create two classes of people in San Antonio, and will keep good working class and middle class people off the best roads in Bexar County," Hall said.
She said the toll road proposal is 'outrageous' because it will divide people based on their incomes.
"Our society is going to be basically segmented into two different categories, those who can afford to pay tolls and can have efficient travel, and those who can't afford to pay the tolls and will be stuck on congested highways as second class citizens for the rest of their lives."
Hall also cited a plan to prohibit construction of new free roads that would compete with toll roads.
Larsen is the latest public official to come out strongly against the plan to build toll roads, first on Highway 281 outside 1604, and then on 1604, Interstate 35 and other highways. The 281 plan has been held up due to environmental concerns.
"The State Legislature has continually cannibalized the state motor fuel tax to balance the state budget," Larsen wrote. "The Legislature needs to begin demonstrating stronger discipline while utilizing the state motor fuel exclusively for new highway construction and maintenance."
Larsen says any toll proposal on new lanes of existing highways, in his opinion, amounts to unconstitutional 'double taxation.' Send news tips/story ideas to WOAI...
Get local news delivered directly to your inbox...
© 2006 CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING, INC.
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Friday, February 17, 2006
<< Home