Circle C Neighbors

Posted with approval.
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Commissioner Sonleitner:

Thanks for staying until the end of the CAMPO meeting at the LBJ library, participating in my playful ''stretching exercise'' and listening to my comments from the microphone delivered a few minutes before adjournment. I waited until the end in order to listen to the full presentation and all the other speakers before addressing the board. I remain willing to listen to, examine with an open mind, and to comment on plans and information put forth by TxDoT on the toll roads issue.

As I stated last evening, however, the presentation by Mr. Daigh that I have now twice witnessed is anything but a plan, in that it is entirely lacking in the details that should have been supplied with it. As I also stated, I was shocked to find out that traffic and revenue studies had not been done prior to putting this proposal together. When Mr. Daigh admitted this in response to a question from a member of the audience I was incredulous that anyone in such a position would propose borrowing $400Mm in bond money before having done, then solicited and received comments upon, all the necessary research. That is shameful. Equally appalling was the initial suggestion that the TxDoT proposal that you were being asked to vote upon was a fully-integrated, cohesive package. You were told (until Mr. Daigh modified his stance in response to a direct, pointed question from Senator Barrientos) that the ''plan'' was an all-or-nothing proposal which could not work if it were not approved without modification.

TxDoT should be severely chastized for such a performance. Not only did it result in a waste of your time and that of the other CAMPO board members, it illustrated to the public attendees the apparent inability of TxDoT planners to understand and adhere to the quaint idea of being responsible for their work. How can TxDoT officials be held accountable for the ultimate success or failure of their multi-billion dollar projects when they are not even required to support the premises and conclusions in their proposals with actual data derived from reliable, published sources? TxDoT's own literature states that traffic and revenue estimates are absolutely necessary for putting together a tollroad feasibility study (which one might assume would be a prerequisite to actually proposing a plan for implementation of such a system of toll roads and a request for $400Mm in bond money to begin the work). You were given neither the traffic counts at the various proposed toll points nor the estimated revenues they anticipate collecting at any of them. (When queried on specifics, TxDoT won't even publicly say how much the proposed tolls for a family car are going to be for the privilege of using roads that, in many cases, have already been funded through collected tax revenues.) The worst part of this charade is that they know full well that these studies must be done and yet they have either failed to follow their own guidelines, or they have the information (a suspicion that more than one CAMPO member has confided to me privately) but are unwilling to publish it. That would fly in the face of their stated policy ''to provide the public with the fullest possible access to public information.'' See http://www.dot.state.tx.us/PIO/openrecords.htm . It would also be illegal. Either way, we are all left to wonder how it is that they chose the particular roads and tolling locations that they did in such an alleged vacuum of information.

On the issue of vacuums, I will also report that although I requested a copy of the power point presentation that Mr. Daigh used at Kiker (and also at the CAMPO meeting last night) so that I could better prepare comments for the CAMPO board, none was ever supplied. Could you please intercede on my behalf and get me a copy? Thanks in advance.

Bill Gammon
www.williamgammon.com

FOIA Request...

At what point may a Freedom of Information Act request be warranted?

THE TOLL ROAD PLAN PROBLEM...

THE TOLL ROAD PLAN PROBLEM....AND 3 THINGS YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW (below).

TXdot says; The Toll Road Plan is a ''pay for use'' solution.''

BUT, THAT IS NOT TRUE, Tax dollars are used toward the Toll Roads in Two (2) different ways. Everyone pays, but not everyone can use the Toll Roads unless they pay again. That is a double tax...TWICE.

1. $210 million Tax dollars a year, for 30 years, will be used to make the Toll Road Bond payments. The revenue stream used to support the 30 year 3 billion dollars worth of bonds DO NOT come from the toll income. The revenue stream to support the 30 year bonds are the licenses, license renewal fees and vehicle inspection fees. In the past, licenses, license renewal fees and vehicle inspection fees went to the General State fund for Texas. The cost just to issue the bonds is 60 million dollars - upfront (attorneys, bond providers & paperwork). A 210 million dollar commitment for 30 years costs 6.3 billion... to get 3 billion now.

2. TXdot's current Toll plan seizes our tax payer financed roads for Toll Roads. Examples of the Tax financed roads in the plan are: Wm Cannon bridge at Mopac, a section of Ed Bluestein from I-35 to Springdale, the new Texas 45 southeast turnpike from I-35 to the South end of Texas 130 and 71 from I35 to Riverside are just 4 examples of tax financed roads that are seized by TXdot in this current Toll plan. These roads have already been paid for with our tax dollars, and construction has already begun.

TXdot MYTH: ''Individual roads CANNOT be taken out of the Toll plan.''
FACT: TXdot's Bob Daigh, says in a tape recorded conversation 5/12/04 ''Campo has the discretion to alter or tweak the plan.''

TXdot MYTH: There will ALWAYS be a free alternative road.
FACT: The free roads are at times frontage roads with lots of stop lights. Or in some cases, TXdot considers ''Free alternative roads'' existing neighborhoods that are blocks away from the Toll Road, with NO frontage roads proposed. In some cases, TXdot considers ''Free alternative roads'' existing neighborhoods that are blocks away from the Toll Road, with NO frontage roads proposed.One Example: The planned Toll for 45S from southern end of Mopac to Manchaca does not have a frontage road.

TXdot MYTH: Toll Roads are an efficient way to pay for roads.
FACT: TXdot Toll Roads will cost you an additional $3.75 a gallon, if you use them: TXdot says the average toll will cost .15 cents a mile. If you get 25 mpg (15 cents x 25 miles per gallon), the toll will cost you an equivalent of $3.75 a gallon (in addition to the gas you paid for). Also, the average cost just to collect a toll is .25 cents (cost of toll booth infrastructure, technology etc.). Is that an efficient form of tax? Many Austin families will easily pay thousands of dollars more a year to use the Toll's in Austin.

TXdot MYTH: This Toll Plan is a good idea and makes great business sense.
FACT: NO traffic studies have been done. NO revenue study has been produced. Why would Austin invest in a new business if there is NO business plan?

1. CAMPO's one hearing has already past, but they seek Austintes feedback via email, TELL THEM TO SAY NO TO THE WHOLE FLAWED TOLL PLAN: campo@campotexas.org

2. Texas Transportation Commission has yet to decide on whether to use the $210 million a year on freeways or to commit the $210 million a year for 30 years with the one time 3 billion dollar bond package for Toll Roads. (FYI: 210 mil x 30 years = 6.3 billion) Texas Transportation Commission seeks Austintes feedback via email, TELL THEM NOT TO GAMBLE YOUR TAX DOLLARS ON A 30 YEAR BONDS FOR TOLL ROADS: PioMail@dot.state.tx.us

3. Copy this text and email it to people you know to get a chain mass email campiagn in motion.

TxDOT ''hiding the Ball'' in 3/04

Note this news release from TxDOT on March 16, 2004 about the Texas Mobility Fund .

1. They say they are: ''seeking public comments''

2. They say ''the fund allows TxDOT to issue bonds''

3. They don't say it uses more than 6 billion dollars of Taxes over 30 years, but they do say: ''Money from transportation-related fees will go into the fund''

4. They talk about a ''new source of money'' as if it fell from the sky.

5. Most important, the word ''TOLL'' cannot be found in this press release.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/txdotnews/008-2004.htm