Government "where the sun don't shine."
Strayhorn scolds Perry for toll pact's secrecy
Governor's spokesman accuses opponent of 'trumped-up attack'
June 1, 2006
Associated Press
Copyright 2006
AUSTIN – Independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn chided Republican Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday for keeping secret the details of a state contract with a private company building Texas' colossal toll-highway system.
It's been exactly a year since Attorney General Greg Abbott ruled a contract between the state Transportation Department and Cintra-Zachry is public information, Mrs. Strayhorn said.
"We need government in the sunshine," she said. "I'm calling on Governor Perry to order his Transportation Department to drop its lawsuit and release to all Texans the secret contract with a foreign company."
Cintra-Zachry – the Spanish and American partnership working on the first phase of the Trans Texas Corridor highway system – and the Texas Department of Transportation went to court to keep parts of the deal sealed.
Robert Black, a spokesman for Mr. Perry's re-election campaign, said Mrs. Strayhorn is merely keeping up her tactic of criticizing the governor. "We've all been down this road before: Carole Strayhorn is angry and wants attention so she launches a shrill, trumped-up attack," Mr. Black said.
Uproar over the governor's Trans Texas Corridor has emerged as a leading campaign issue for Mrs. Strayhorn, who has appeared at anti-toll-road rallies. On Wednesday, some anti-toll activists and officials from Hill County joined Mrs. Strayhorn at a news conference, nodding in agreement with her.
She denounced the recent statements of Texas Transportation Commission chairman Ric Williamson, who told North Texas leaders that, "if you aggressively invite the private sector to be your partner, you can't tell them where to build the road."
"Texas property belongs to Texans, not foreign companies; Texas freeways belong to Texans, not foreign companies," she said, adding that Texans won't sit by and let the governor "cram toll roads down our throats."
Mr. Black said that in 1999, Mrs. Strayhorn praised foreign investment in Texas. He also said most of the Cintra-Zachry contract is available online to the public, minus the company's proprietary information.
© 2006 The Associated Press: www.ap.org
Governor's spokesman accuses opponent of 'trumped-up attack'
June 1, 2006
Associated Press
Copyright 2006
AUSTIN – Independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn chided Republican Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday for keeping secret the details of a state contract with a private company building Texas' colossal toll-highway system.
It's been exactly a year since Attorney General Greg Abbott ruled a contract between the state Transportation Department and Cintra-Zachry is public information, Mrs. Strayhorn said.
"We need government in the sunshine," she said. "I'm calling on Governor Perry to order his Transportation Department to drop its lawsuit and release to all Texans the secret contract with a foreign company."
Cintra-Zachry – the Spanish and American partnership working on the first phase of the Trans Texas Corridor highway system – and the Texas Department of Transportation went to court to keep parts of the deal sealed.
Robert Black, a spokesman for Mr. Perry's re-election campaign, said Mrs. Strayhorn is merely keeping up her tactic of criticizing the governor. "We've all been down this road before: Carole Strayhorn is angry and wants attention so she launches a shrill, trumped-up attack," Mr. Black said.
Uproar over the governor's Trans Texas Corridor has emerged as a leading campaign issue for Mrs. Strayhorn, who has appeared at anti-toll-road rallies. On Wednesday, some anti-toll activists and officials from Hill County joined Mrs. Strayhorn at a news conference, nodding in agreement with her.
She denounced the recent statements of Texas Transportation Commission chairman Ric Williamson, who told North Texas leaders that, "if you aggressively invite the private sector to be your partner, you can't tell them where to build the road."
"Texas property belongs to Texans, not foreign companies; Texas freeways belong to Texans, not foreign companies," she said, adding that Texans won't sit by and let the governor "cram toll roads down our throats."
Mr. Black said that in 1999, Mrs. Strayhorn praised foreign investment in Texas. He also said most of the Cintra-Zachry contract is available online to the public, minus the company's proprietary information.
© 2006 The Associated Press:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Thursday, June 01, 2006
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