RMA: "Another semi-autonomous bureaucracy to be established with no accountability to the citizens."

Letters:

Toll road malarkey

3/8/06

El Paso Times
Copyright 2006

See? El Pasoans are not as dumb as the big shots like to think. (Many in El Paso oppose toll roads; Times, Feb. 26.)

We know TxDOT is trying to blackmail us into accepting toll roads by saying we'll have to otherwise wait 25-30 years for new roads.

Who decided that? And why?

The proposed Regional Mobility Authority is just another semi-autonomous bureaucracy to be established with no accountability to the citizens. The governor appoints the chairperson and City Council appoints the board members?

How nice. How cozy. How corrupted will that be?

What if toll roads are built and nobody comes? What then?

Who will be responsible for maintenance? Not TxDot. What if maintenance is poor -- like the streets of El Paso?

Who, how and when will toll rates be determined? Increased? On what grounds? Will the public know?

Just because some local politicos want toll roads built so they can get their nameplates on them is no reason for El Pasoans to be manipulated, coerced or bum-fuzzled into accepting them.

Jim Parker
Upper Valley

Copyright © 2006 El Paso Times www.elpasotimes.com