"The jury remains out on the political power of the toll road issue."
Urban Affairs:
Power of toll issue hard to gauge
March 09, 2006
Austin American-Statesman
Copyright 2006
Sal Costello and the Austin Toll Party were quick to claim victory Wednesday, taking credit for the defeats of two toll road supporters: Travis County Commissioner Karen Sonleitner and state Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels.
Toll opponents certainly have a case to make with the defeat of Sonleitner, given victor Sarah Eckhardt's enthusiastic embrace of the anti-toll cause. But given the margin of victory — almost 15 percent — and other campaign dynamics, it's difficult to know for sure whether tolls made the difference.
As for Casteel, opponent Nathan Macias benefited from more than $600,000 in campaign cash from San Antonio conservative and school voucher proponent James Leininger and a political action committee Leininger controls, and still won by only 45 votes. Chalk that one up to vouchers, not tolls.
Then there's state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County, chairman of the House Transportation Committee and the Godfather of Toll. A candidate endorsed by toll opponents took him on and lost by 28 percent.
Former Texas Transportation Commissioner Robert Nichols, a tireless toll road advocate, easily won a GOP primary for the state Senate in East Texas over three opponents, while David Stall from Fayette County, the Trans-Texas Corridor's leading critic, came in a distant third in another state Senate race.
The jury remains out on the political power of the toll road issue. November's governor's race, with a direct challenge to a sitting governor who has made tolls the centerpiece of his transportation policy, could provide the answer.
© 2006 Austin American-Statesman: www.statesman.com
Power of toll issue hard to gauge
March 09, 2006
Austin American-Statesman
Copyright 2006
Sal Costello and the Austin Toll Party were quick to claim victory Wednesday, taking credit for the defeats of two toll road supporters: Travis County Commissioner Karen Sonleitner and state Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels.
Toll opponents certainly have a case to make with the defeat of Sonleitner, given victor Sarah Eckhardt's enthusiastic embrace of the anti-toll cause. But given the margin of victory — almost 15 percent — and other campaign dynamics, it's difficult to know for sure whether tolls made the difference.
As for Casteel, opponent Nathan Macias benefited from more than $600,000 in campaign cash from San Antonio conservative and school voucher proponent James Leininger and a political action committee Leininger controls, and still won by only 45 votes. Chalk that one up to vouchers, not tolls.
Then there's state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County, chairman of the House Transportation Committee and the Godfather of Toll. A candidate endorsed by toll opponents took him on and lost by 28 percent.
Former Texas Transportation Commissioner Robert Nichols, a tireless toll road advocate, easily won a GOP primary for the state Senate in East Texas over three opponents, while David Stall from Fayette County, the Trans-Texas Corridor's leading critic, came in a distant third in another state Senate race.
The jury remains out on the political power of the toll road issue. November's governor's race, with a direct challenge to a sitting governor who has made tolls the centerpiece of his transportation policy, could provide the answer.
© 2006 Austin American-Statesman:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Thursday, March 09, 2006
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