TEXAS?’ SUPERHIGHWAY QUESTIONS RAISED IN TODAY?’S WASHINGTON POST
On Tuesday morning Washington Post readers in our Nation?’s Capitol read about Gov. Perry?’s TTC toll road Vision. It contrasts the Texas shift from gas tax to tolls against toll weary states like Ohio, Washington and Indiana who are now moving back to gas taxes. It points out that public-private transportation contracts are not universally well received and in some case are costing taxpayers millions of dollars through subsidies and tax-exempt bonds.
meanwhile, in Austin, Austin City Council member Brewster McCracken confirmed with TxDOT Reginal Engineer Bob Daight that the estimated cost for a Toll road option was roughly 20% higher than for a non-toll road, as mapped out in the Austin 2030 roadway plan. This is before inflation or with interests added in for the cost of floating bonds required to pay for the Toll road option.
Senator Gonzalo Barreientos announced that he had introduced a bill to add a local Gas Tax option to the existing tax.
It seems that Gas Taxes are the prefered mechanism for raising revenue to maintain and pay for roads in most states.
On Tuesday morning Washington Post readers in our Nation?’s Capitol read about Gov. Perry?’s TTC toll road Vision. It contrasts the Texas shift from gas tax to tolls against toll weary states like Ohio, Washington and Indiana who are now moving back to gas taxes. It points out that public-private transportation contracts are not universally well received and in some case are costing taxpayers millions of dollars through subsidies and tax-exempt bonds.
meanwhile, in Austin, Austin City Council member Brewster McCracken confirmed with TxDOT Reginal Engineer Bob Daight that the estimated cost for a Toll road option was roughly 20% higher than for a non-toll road, as mapped out in the Austin 2030 roadway plan. This is before inflation or with interests added in for the cost of floating bonds required to pay for the Toll road option.
Senator Gonzalo Barreientos announced that he had introduced a bill to add a local Gas Tax option to the existing tax.
It seems that Gas Taxes are the prefered mechanism for raising revenue to maintain and pay for roads in most states.
