Wednesday, August 06, 2008

"Texas residents don't want toll roads, yet many officials--elected and otherwise--still continue to push aside the will of the people they serve."

Toll plans continue to put special interests over public good

August 5, 2008

Capitol Hill Blue
Copyright 2008

Nowhere is the fight against toll roads stronger than in the state of Texas.

In fact, Texas is the NATIONAL frontier for the fight against Bush and Perry's plan for the Trans-Texas [Mexico and Canada] Corridor.

The only good toll road is no toll road at all.

But don't take my word for it... just ask people in New York, New Jersey and California.

If there's an ounce of dignity and integrity and the need to do the right thing, we must speak out against the Central Texas, Trans-Texas Corridor and other toll road plans.

Contrary to Gov. Rick Perry, the Capital Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Texas Department of Transportation and other special-interest entities, the toll plan is not in the best interest of Texans.

The majority of Texas residents do not want toll roads, yet many officials -- elected and otherwise -- still continue to push aside the will of the people they serve. Any reasonable person must be able to see that toll roads merely are another form of regressive taxation.

While we're told that there are options in place for those who do not want to pay the tolls, the reality is quite different.

All Texas consumers will pay tolls, whether they use the toll roads or not.

We will all pay tolls many times over in purchasing goods and services from businesses that will use the toll roads. Inevitably, businesses pass along such costs to their consumers.

In addition, many of the roads slated for tolls already have been paid for with tax dollars. How many times should we pay for the same road?

Toll roads are nothing more than special-interest profiteering.

Toll plans should be eliminated primarily because they are not cost-effective, not necessary, and the people of Texas don't want them. In addition, the implementation of toll roads generally cause other issues or problems, including noise / environmental pollution, increase in traffic accidents and fatalities, decrease in adjacent property values, etc.

Special-interest officials must not determine the direction of our transportation needs Rather, Texans must be permitted to decide what is in their own best interests -- or at least the plan should be part of a public referendum.

If Texans fail in the fight against toll roads and the Trans-Texas Corridor, so will the nation.

© 2008, Capitol Hill Blue: www.capitolhillblue.com

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