"It should not take a legal opinion to force the release of documents on highly significant state projects."
Release of toll road data fitting, even if a bit late
10/02/2006
Editorial
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
Texas taxpayers deserve to have a clear view and know the details of a huge proposal for toll roads.
State transportation officials and the giant road-building consortium Cintra-Zachry released important information on part of the Trans-Texas Corridor last week.
Finally.
The 1,600 pages of documents came to light after being withheld for more than a year. They provide more information about the schedule, scope and cost estimates for a project known as TTC-35, which includes hundreds of miles of toll roads and possibly rail and pipelines.
The keenly timed release is political manna for Gov. Rick Perry, the chief cheerleader for the Trans-Texas Corridor. Perry is running for re-election in November against opponents who've criticized the sweeping plan as a secretive land grab.
Cintra-Zachry, a union of Spanish and American interests, entered into a multimillion-dollar design contract with the state last year. Details of the agreement were kept private because company officials said their release could hamper the consortium's competitiveness on future bids.
In response to an open records request, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued an opinion last year calling for the information to be made public. Initially, the Texas Department of Transportation and the consortium jointly sued Abbott's office to keep the information sealed.
As Texas continues to look toward public-private partnerships to finance the state's growing and much-needed transportation complex, all involved should be more forthcoming with the public.
State leaders are often criticized for negotiating backroom deals with Big Business, and toll roads are already controversial. It should not take a legal opinion to force the release of documents on highly significant state projects.
Next time around, state officials should be more sensitive to the public's right to know what action its government is taking. Texas taxpayers deserve that.
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News: www.mysanantonio.com
10/02/2006
Editorial
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
Texas taxpayers deserve to have a clear view and know the details of a huge proposal for toll roads.
State transportation officials and the giant road-building consortium Cintra-Zachry released important information on part of the Trans-Texas Corridor last week.
Finally.
The 1,600 pages of documents came to light after being withheld for more than a year. They provide more information about the schedule, scope and cost estimates for a project known as TTC-35, which includes hundreds of miles of toll roads and possibly rail and pipelines.
The keenly timed release is political manna for Gov. Rick Perry, the chief cheerleader for the Trans-Texas Corridor. Perry is running for re-election in November against opponents who've criticized the sweeping plan as a secretive land grab.
Cintra-Zachry, a union of Spanish and American interests, entered into a multimillion-dollar design contract with the state last year. Details of the agreement were kept private because company officials said their release could hamper the consortium's competitiveness on future bids.
In response to an open records request, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued an opinion last year calling for the information to be made public. Initially, the Texas Department of Transportation and the consortium jointly sued Abbott's office to keep the information sealed.
As Texas continues to look toward public-private partnerships to finance the state's growing and much-needed transportation complex, all involved should be more forthcoming with the public.
State leaders are often criticized for negotiating backroom deals with Big Business, and toll roads are already controversial. It should not take a legal opinion to force the release of documents on highly significant state projects.
Next time around, state officials should be more sensitive to the public's right to know what action its government is taking. Texas taxpayers deserve that.
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Monday, October 02, 2006
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