Raba-Kistner Consultants, co-founders of 'The Toll Truth', just might be bidding on future toll projects in San Antonio
On toll roads, we need to know about source of information
7/16/2006
Jaime Castillo,
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
On Saturday, I lamented how difficult it is for the average Joe to get a straight answer on toll roads.
A few things, however, are clear. Because of the lack of political will to either raise gas taxes or to stop raiding them for things other than our roads, the tax alone will not generate enough money to cover the road projects made necessary by the area's — and the state's — explosive growth.
It also stands to reason that combining state funds with tolled expressways would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to jump-start projects and get them done decades sooner than with gas taxes alone.
But, for a community not accustomed to tollways, there are questions to which the answers are unclear.
Does the state have to get in bed with private contractors to build toll roads?
If they are profitable, are the private contractors going to be the only ones to reap all of the profits for 40, even 50 years?
Terrell McCombs is the chief blogger and resident spokesman of a relatively new Web site, www.thetolltruth.com, which bills itself as a down-the-middle source of information on the issue.
McCombs, a businessman and the nephew of B.J. "Red" McCombs, does an effective job of laying out the issue online and in person.
"If we do nothing, it's only going to get worse," he said in a phone interview. "Our road construction needs are like a water leak in a section of PVC pipe.
"We're trying to pour water in by the thimbleful and it's leaking out of a three-inch opening at the other end," he said.
McCombs' postings are also measured and thankfully devoid of alarmist rhetoric. But it's what the Web site doesn't say that threatens its credibility.
Gary Raba of Raba-Kistner Consultants is one of the founders of The Toll Truth. Nothing wrong with that, but Raba acknowledged that his influential engineering firm would be a bidder for work on any future toll projects.
And how many other Toll Truth contributors could have a potential stake in the same projects?
We don't know because McCombs and Raba won't say.
To his credit, Raba isn't shirking from the limelight, but he said the other contributors don't want to become a target for toll foes, some of whom are not beyond personal attacks and vitriol.
"We're not out raising a bazillion dollars," Raba said. "Are we doing ourselves a favor? You know, in a way we are, because our whole community will benefit from less congestion and getting road projects done sooner."
A person with knowledge of the pro-toll group, who asked not to be identified, did confirm that construction magnate Bartel Zachry has not contributed.
That's welcome news because Zachry's company has partnered with a Spanish-owned outfit, Cintra, and they both figure to become big players in toll projects around the state. They've already offered to take over the first 47 miles of toll roads in San Antonio.
Fair or not, until The Toll Truth tells the whole truth about its backers, it is likely going to face a tough sell with a skeptical public regardless of whether the group's message is dead straight and forthright.
And that's unfortunate because an emotional and complicated issue in this community is crying out for a dispassionate voice.
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News: www.mysanantonio.com
To search TTC News Archives clickHERE
7/16/2006
Jaime Castillo,
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
On Saturday, I lamented how difficult it is for the average Joe to get a straight answer on toll roads.
A few things, however, are clear. Because of the lack of political will to either raise gas taxes or to stop raiding them for things other than our roads, the tax alone will not generate enough money to cover the road projects made necessary by the area's — and the state's — explosive growth.
It also stands to reason that combining state funds with tolled expressways would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to jump-start projects and get them done decades sooner than with gas taxes alone.
But, for a community not accustomed to tollways, there are questions to which the answers are unclear.
Does the state have to get in bed with private contractors to build toll roads?
If they are profitable, are the private contractors going to be the only ones to reap all of the profits for 40, even 50 years?
Terrell McCombs is the chief blogger and resident spokesman of a relatively new Web site, www.thetolltruth.com, which bills itself as a down-the-middle source of information on the issue.
McCombs, a businessman and the nephew of B.J. "Red" McCombs, does an effective job of laying out the issue online and in person.
"If we do nothing, it's only going to get worse," he said in a phone interview. "Our road construction needs are like a water leak in a section of PVC pipe.
"We're trying to pour water in by the thimbleful and it's leaking out of a three-inch opening at the other end," he said.
McCombs' postings are also measured and thankfully devoid of alarmist rhetoric. But it's what the Web site doesn't say that threatens its credibility.
Gary Raba of Raba-Kistner Consultants is one of the founders of The Toll Truth. Nothing wrong with that, but Raba acknowledged that his influential engineering firm would be a bidder for work on any future toll projects.
And how many other Toll Truth contributors could have a potential stake in the same projects?
We don't know because McCombs and Raba won't say.
To his credit, Raba isn't shirking from the limelight, but he said the other contributors don't want to become a target for toll foes, some of whom are not beyond personal attacks and vitriol.
"We're not out raising a bazillion dollars," Raba said. "Are we doing ourselves a favor? You know, in a way we are, because our whole community will benefit from less congestion and getting road projects done sooner."
A person with knowledge of the pro-toll group, who asked not to be identified, did confirm that construction magnate Bartel Zachry has not contributed.
That's welcome news because Zachry's company has partnered with a Spanish-owned outfit, Cintra, and they both figure to become big players in toll projects around the state. They've already offered to take over the first 47 miles of toll roads in San Antonio.
Fair or not, until The Toll Truth tells the whole truth about its backers, it is likely going to face a tough sell with a skeptical public regardless of whether the group's message is dead straight and forthright.
And that's unfortunate because an emotional and complicated issue in this community is crying out for a dispassionate voice.
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News:
To search TTC News Archives click
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Sunday, July 16, 2006
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