SEN. HUTCHISON'S BILL FAILS TO PROTECT TEXAS TAXPAYERS FROM DOUBLE TAXATION

By Sal Costello - September 12, 2007
Sal wrote:

I am already getting emails from folks thinking it's now illegal for TxDOT to double tax drivers on our state highways. It's just not true. Don't believe the press they often get it wrong.

SEN. HUTCHISON'S BILL FAILS TO PROTECT TEXAS TAXPAYERS FROM DOUBLE TAXATION

AUSTIN – Texas’ senior Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R–TX) passed an amendment that claims to protect Texas taxpayers from tolling existing highways in Texas.

Hutchison is dancing in the end zone, but she’s failed to make a touch down. Sadly, Hutchison’s bill is full of loopholes. Her press release claims:

“Today we protected Texas taxpayers from paying twice for a highway,” Sen. Hutchison said. “I will continue pushing for a permanent prohibition of tolling existing highways.”

“Sadly, Hutchison’s claim, that her bill stops double taxation of our Texas highways is 100% hogwash. State highways are not covered at all. And, gaping loopholes allow TxDOT to go out today and build new toll lanes, all day long on our interstates - and they can build them with 100% of our tax dollars. That’s exactly what TxDOT is doing all over Texas with our state highways today. The double taxation scheme here in Central Texas includes a plan to spend $700 million of our tax dollars - intended for freeways - and spend those tax dollars to shift our freeways to toll ways. Hutchison’s bill fails to protect us, with too many loopholes for a rogue agency like TxDOT to exploit.“ People for Efficient Transportation founder, Sal Costello said.

Hutchison's release also misleads the press with this statement:

During the 80th session of the Texas Legislature the state House and Senate approved a measure that would place a two-year moratorium on building toll roads in Texas.

There is no such "Toll Freeze" legislation. Hutchison is referring to SB 792. The simple fact is that loophole filled moratorium doesn't stop any of the toll roads that are planned in the next 2 years. NOT ONE ROAD! THE TOLL ROADS PLANNED BY TXDOT ARE EXEMPTED.

TO PROVE MY POINT - Here is an AP Report called "Texas Authorizes More Than 80 Toll Road Projects" from just a few weeks ago.

House bill would block highway tolls: House bill would block highway tolls

By Gary Martin - Express-News Washington Bureau - Sept. 9, 2007
WASHINGTON — House lawmakers from Texas and Pennsylvania filed a bill to block proposals in their respective states to toll federal highways to provide revenue for repair and construction, officials said Tuesday.

The House bill is a companion to legislation filed in the Senate by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who has vowed to stop efforts in Austin to "buy back" federal highways and levying tolls on state taxpayers.

"Tolling existing freeways — the lifeblood of moving goods and services — is bad public policy, and states like Pennsylvania and Texas would incur irrevocable economic damage," said Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa.

Rep. Ciro Rodriguez and Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, both San Antonio Democrats, joined Peterson and Rep. Phil English, R-Pa., in co-sponsoring the House bill.

Rodriguez signed on one week after meeting with Ric Williamson, the Texas transportation commissioner, in Washington.

Williamson met with federal lawmakers, urging them to relax current laws that prohibit tolls on U.S. highways.

The state is seeking revenue to make up an $86 billion shortfall preventing Texas from improving highways.

Williamson, a Republican, has proposed buying back federal highways and turning them over to private entities to levy a toll that would produce money to improve and expand infrastructure.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Williamson say a decision to toll an existing highway or road should rest with the local taxpayer, not federal officials.

Decisions on how to use existing highways "would be better made in San Antonio and San Angelo than in Washington," said Chris Lippincott, a Texas Department of Transportation spokesman.

Pennsylvania also is eyeing plans to toll Interstate 80, as well as other revenue enhancing measures being studied by Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat.

"The real problem is, we don't have sufficient resources and our infrastructure is falling apart across the country," Rodriguez said.

But Rodriguez said the state should not penalize Texas taxpayers and make them pay twice for federal roads that were built with public funds.

"Those roads have already been paid for," Rodriguez said.

Hutchison and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas,
Read more