We’ve seen it in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and El Paso and now it’s come to San Antonio. The Governor and his Transportation Commission is apparently seeking to make enemies rather than friends by continuing their inexplicable bullying tactics. Read the letter below by Commissioner Tommy Adkisson and to see what the Governor anbd TxDOT are ordering to be done to the two Via Board members who sit on the MPO Board in retribution for their vote FOR the PEOPLE at last Monday’s MPO Meeting.

TxDOT proceeds to act as if they have absolute authority and total impunity for their almost dictator-like actions toward local officials. Anyone who dare questions or disagrees with Perry’s version of privatized tolling will be punished. Well, if our courageous County Commissioners Tommy Adkisson and Lyle Larson have anything to do it, this behavior is going to come to an abrupt END!

January 26, 2007

Honorable Rick Perry
Governor of Texas
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711

Dear Governor Perry,

At last Monday’s Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting my fellow Commissioner Lyle Larson sought to reinstate overpasses on 281 North of Loop 1604 in lieu of the TxDOT-planned tolling of this stretch of the road. Two VIA Board members on the MPO voted with Commissioner Larson and me on this measure. Unfortunately from reliable sources, I am informed that the TxDOT District Engineer David Casteel and Hope Andrade, your appointment to the TxDOT Commission, sought to reprimand or punish two of the MPO Board members representing VIA for their support for Commissioner Larson. We further understand that you have said that VIA’s legislative program was effectively dead in the current session as a result of their MPO vote.

TxDOT leadership has begun to take on a very different and mean-spirited tone of late. “Ric Williamson and his group take any discussion that seems to move away from their core position as a threat,” said Senate Transportation Chair John Carona of Dallas as reported by Ben Wear of the Austin American Statesman on January 18. It appears as though at least some of his fellow Commissioners are modeling themselves after the Chair.

This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, especially coming from appointed officials who are unable to be held accountable by the public. Though you are a toll road proponent, I respect your right to disagree. I know from my time of service with you that you would certainly respect my right to disagree as well as that of our VIA Board members. I respectfully ask that your appointees and staff do the same.

Sincerely,

Tommy Adkisson

CC Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst
Speaker of the House Tom Craddick
Members of the Bexar County Legislative Delegation

Link to article here. Had it not been for TxDOT casting two votes to line their own pockets with toll money, it would have come down to a one vote difference. A new board member, a Councilman from Selma Charles Eads, showed up just in time to vote AGAINST THE PEOPLE and FOR TOLLS, along with Councilman Art Hall who rarely attends but always manages to show-up to VOTE AGAINST HIS DISTRICT and FOR TOLLS. The third elected official to vote FOR TOLLS was Commissioner Chico Rodriguez. The rest are appointees and shouldn’t be casting votes to allocate taxpayer money.

281 toll idea gets more detractors
By Pat Driscoll
Express-News
January 23, 2007

Lyle Larson didn’t have a friend on the Metropolitan Planning Organization board when he tried to stop it from approving the first toll plans in 2004.

But when the Bexar County commissioner made a last-ditch effort Monday to stop tolling of U.S. 281 and revert to a gas-tax plan, he managed to pull five other votes.

It wasn’t enough — the effort failed 9-6 — but as the smoke cleared, toll critics realized they have come a long way.

“It was a bit of a surprise,” said David Ramos of San Antonio Toll Party. “It’s four more than we had a few months ago. We don’t intend to let up.”

One of the board members joining Larson’s camp was state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, which now makes two local senators who want to see tolls pulled from U.S. 281 plans. Republican Jeff Wentworth wrote a letter of support this month.

But Uresti didn’t say why he voted that way. In fact, earlier in the meeting he complained how no one has ever written him to ask that gas taxes be raised to pay for unfunded road needs.

“Raise your hands if you want us to raise your taxes,” he said to about 150 people in the packed room.

About a fourth of the crowd raised their hands.

“It depends on how much,” one woman murmured.

State and federal gas taxes, totaling 38.4 cents a gallon, haven’t been raised since the 1990s, and researchers disagree on how high they’d have to go to cover a wish list of state and local projects statewide.

Without tolls or a higher tax, money would have to be raided from other projects to widen U.S. 281 as planned, Texas Department of Transportation officials said.

What would have cost $78 million to construct last year — express lanes with access roads on U.S. 281 from Loop 1604 to Stone Oak Parkway — will now run $110 million, said David Casteel of TxDOT, who’s on the planning organization board.

And because traffic on U.S. 281, now reaching 100,000 cars a day, is getting worse, the project needs to be extended past Marshall Road. That would bring the price tag to $150 million.

The problem, Casteel told the board, is that after spending $9 million to clear trees and prepare for construction a year ago, before a lawsuit forced a new environmental study, the agency now has just $69 million left.

“We need to look at that in a very hard way,” warned board Chairman Richard Perez, a city councilman.

Even Larson’s best ally on the board, fellow County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, flinched and asked to postpone a vote until he could find out what projects might get cut.

“I just don’t know what’s being asked here,” he said.

Larson said they shouldn’t wait because the new environmental study for U.S. 281 will be out next month and then it could be too late. The board just needs to bite the bullet and put back the non-toll plan that used to exist, he said.

“We blinked and now we’re in a predicament,” he said. “These projects should have been built three years ago.”

Adkisson decided to vote with Larson. So did VIA board members Melissa Castro-Killen and Sidney Ordway and City Councilwoman Elena Guajardo — none of whom prefaced their votes with explanations.

Voting against were councilmen Perez and Art Hall, city staffers Emil Moncivais and Tom Wendorf, County Commissioner Sergio “Chico” Rodriguez, Windcrest Mayor Jack Leonhardt, Selma Councilman Charles Eads and TxDOT officials Casteel and Clay Smith.

Link to article here.

Bexar official makes stand to stop 281 tolls
Patrick Driscoll
Express-News
January 20, 2007

For years now, Lyle Larson has felt like a fly being brushed aside amid the state’s rush to toll new highway lanes, but lately he feels like his luck could be changing.

The Bexar County commissioner is lining up powerful allies for a goal-line stand next week against a plan to build toll lanes on U.S. 281 from Loop 1604 to Comal County — smack through his precinct.

First he got letters of support from Ernesto Ancira Jr., president of Ancira Enterprises, and Tom Turner Jr., chairman of TETCO, after telling them their concerns would ring louder if put in writing. Soon, more than a dozen other businesses on the highway wrote letters.

Now Larson is getting help from state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, whose district includes U.S. 281, and the commissioner says he now may have enough ammo to derail toll plans.

“That gives me a little bit more hope,” he said Friday.

Ancira said he wouldn’t have built an auto dealership on U.S. 281, and Turner said his firm wouldn’t have put five convenience stores there if they had known toll lanes were coming.

“Toll roads along this stretch of 281 has the great potential to have a catastrophic impact,” Turner said in his letter.

Larson said such opposition is old news to him, but nevertheless the letters help crack open claims that San Antonio’s business community is solidly behind local toll plans.

“I represent the area, and I get the calls,” he said. “Most of the people that are going to be impacted are opposed to this.”

But Larson was surprised by Wentworth, who doesn’t oppose toll roads and rubbed elbows with advocates at the November ribbon cutting for the Central Texas Turnpike in Austin.

But U.S. 281 is different, and the senator wrote to Larson last week to say he backs efforts to stop tolling of that highway.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my support for this initiative,” Wentworth stated. “Toll roads may be the best mobility solution in some instances, but other options should be considered.”

Larson, who says he gets little respect from the Texas Department of Transportation, feels he may have turned a corner.
“They just look at me (as) an annoyance,” he said. “If they go against a state senator’s wishes, then I think TxDOT’s going to have a lot more problems.”

But Larson still must sway 17 fellow board members of the local Metropolitan Planning Organization, including two TxDOT officials.

He was the lone wolf in 2004 when the board ditched a plan to widen 21/2 miles of U.S. 281 into a freeway and add overpasses at Stone Oak Parkway, Evans Road and Borgfeld Road. It instead opted for tolls so eight miles of express lanes could be built.

Since then, one other board member — Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson — has joined the attack. On Monday, Larson and Adkisson will flaunt Wentworth’s support and ask the board to pull the U.S. 281 tollway plan and revert back to the freeway version.

“In this case, construction of these three overpasses may be the best choice,” Wentworth said in his letter.

TxDOT warns that pulling the plug could have far-reaching effects. U.S. 281 toll revenues also are supposed to help finance toll lanes on Loop 1604, as part of a 47-mile system that two private consortiums are competing to take over.

“While some officials are concerned about one project or one road, the MPO has to look at things from a regional point of view,” said David Casteel, TxDOT’s lead engineer in San Antonio and a member of the MPO board.

Meanwhile, time is running out for Larson and his allies.

A public hearing on the latest environmental report for the U.S. 281 tollway is less than three weeks away, and construction can start once federal officials approve the report, which could be this summer.

“If we’re going to change directions, we need to change direction before construction starts,” Larson said.

A federal grand jury is looking into PBS&J for reimbursing it’s employees for political contributions.

On City of Austin Councilman Brewster McCracken‘s 30th Day before election (2006) report, it includes contributions from at least three PBS&J employees.

Two of them actually use PBS&J’s address…

Link to Texas Toll Party blog here.

See the story in Toll Road News here.

This is an outrage! The MPO Board members likely had no idea, but the MPO staff is who recommended this contractor and the MPO staff is an arm of TxDOT. TxDOT and the MPO staff are complicit in recommending and hiring a company known for fraud and corruption at the taxpayers’ expense!

Contact elected MPO Board Members below to ask them to withdraw their approval of using this fraudulent contractor!

Chairman Richard Perez – Councilman-District 4 City of San Antonio 210-207-7281 or district4@sanantonio.gov
Carlos Uresti – State Representative District 118 210-932-2568 or carlos.uresti@house.state.tx.us
Joe Straus – State Representative District 121 210-828-4411 or joe.straus@house.state.tx.us
Tommy Adkisson – Commissioner Bexar County 210-335-2614 or tadkisson@bexar.org
Lyle Larson – Commissioner Bexar County 210-335-2613 or lylelarson@bexar.org
Sergio “Chico” Rodriguez – Commissioner Bexar County 210-335-2611 or chico@bexar.org
Christopher “Chip” Haass – Councilman-District 10 City of San Antonio 210-207-7276 or district10@sanantonio.gov
Art Hall – Councilman District 8 City of San Antonio 210-207-7086 or district8@sanantonio.gov
Elena Guajardo – Councilwoman District 7 City of San Antonio 210-207-7086 or district7@sanantonio.gov
Jack Leonhardt – Mayor 210-655-0022 or mayor@ci.windcrest.tx.us

Read news article on the vote here.Commissioner Tommy Adkisson gets superhero status after today’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting. He with the help of Via’s Melissa Castro Killen and even some comments by Councilwoman Elena Guajardo tilted the vote in our favor to get our first REAL VICTORY at the MPO! Guess what did it, folks? Diligence, perseverance, and unrelenting public pressure…particularly the MASSIVE turnout at recent Trans Texas Corridor (TTC) hearings and the Bandera Rd. public meeting where all ordinary citizens were in 100% opposition to the proposed toll plans.

Here’s the scoop…

Commissioner Adkisson again requested that the Chair, Councilman Richard Perez, move citizens to be heard to the beginning of the meeting. One of our supporters, ardently opposed to the TTC, Jimmy Lamberth of Wilson County, spoke first with very sincere and passionate remarks against the corridor. Thank you, Jimmy, for traveling so far to come testify today.

Then, I gave my lengthy comments (thank you to all who came and donated their time so I could share my entire 20 minute statement uninterrupted) before the rest of the meeting commenced. When Item #8 came was addressed, Commissioner Adkisson really stuck his neck out there (and thensome) and expressed his discomfort with the Trans Texas Corridor even appearing in the San Antonio long-range plan since it’s technically outside their jurisdiction anyway. He said he attended the East Central High School Corridor hearings and heard the oppposition loud and clear and recognized that adopting this plan as is would be a political loser (trying to hint to fellow elected officials on the Board to follow suit; it’s the politicians on the Board, not the appointees who will hang for supporting this).

Perez and acting MPO Executive Director Syd Martinez tried to continually steer the Board back to accepting the plan without modifications trying to make it sound as if including toll lanes and the TTC in the plan didn’t mean an endorsement of it (think again Mr. Perez!). The duo opined about the inconvenience of including public input on projects (THAT WE PAY FOR), and the inconvenience of removing the TTC and toll lanes from the long range plan as Adkisson insisted upon.

Melissa Castro Killen also echoed Adkisson’s sentiments about the total opposition from the publlic on the toll lanes like Bandera Rd. She communicated how powerful the 450 people filling the room for the Bandera Rd public meeting was in and of itself, and again emphasized the universal opposition expressed by the public. She contended with Perez’ contention that including the tolls in the plan wasn’t an endorsement of it, she wisely stated anything in writing will be an endorsement of tolls in the public’s mind regardless of Perez’ opinion, and he knows it. It was just political manuvering to pass the vote before the opposition gained ground.

Commissioner Adkisson then put forth a motion (that did get a second) to remove the TTC and tolls on I-35 from the long range plan, period. I kept waiting for Commissioner Larson to chime in and ask that 281/1604 and Wurzbach in his precinct also be removed (though this TMMP Plan already assumed the current adopted toll roads would alreayd be built, this was $18 billion in ADDITIONAL “unmet needs”). But Perez didn’t take it to a vote. He and side kick Martinez started up again as to how “unrealistic” Adkisson’s request was to the region.

Then, Councilwoman Elena Guajardo, District 7, whose constituents live in the Bandera Rd proposed toll corridor pathway, brought up concerns that if she knew nothing about San Antonio, she would look at this document and not see one word of mention about the feelings and opposition of the populace. It gives the impression that “everything’s hunky dory” and that the public is on board, which is clearly NOT the case. Then Perez and Martinez tag teamed it again trying to complain how inconvenient it would get to go to the public for input on all of these projects (sounds like RMA Chair Bill Thornton). Excuse me, but federal law requires they do get public input on road projects from affected residents, that’s what the public hearing process is all about not to mention we, the TAXPAYERS, pay the bills! This is the attitude of an elected official toward the taxpayers of Bexar County!

Dr. Syd Ordway, who also represents Via, had apparently had enough of the constant stonewalling by Perez and blurted out with a very authoritative tone a motion to TABLE THE VOTE UNTIL THE CONCERNS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE ADDRESSED and then he named them, Adkisson, Castro, Guajardo. Adkisson quickly gave a second and after yet more mumblings by Perez and Martinez about how TxDOT wouldn’t like this sort of delay (this is all being rushed through by an artificially imposed deadline from TxDOT, can you say, tyring to get it done prior to November 7…to that we say, who cares if TxDOT doesn’t like it?! TxDOT and the MPO work for us not the other way around!) he finally took it to a vote.

FOR tabling the TMMP Plan adoption:

Commissioner Tommy Adkisson (hero in chief)
Commissioner Lyle Larson
Commissioner Chico Rodriguez
Councilwoman Elena Guajardo (stepping out to represent her constituents’ interests)
Councilmen Richard Perez (you read that right, Perez, toller in chief on the MPO, could see he was losing the vote and jumped on the right side of the tracks)
Tom Wendorf (City Public Works)
Amy Madison (she, too, jumped on the right side when the outcome was inevitable)
Melissa Castro Killen (warrior princess, we mean that as a compliment!)
Dr. Syd Ordway
AGAINST tabling the TMMP Plan adoption:

Clay Smith (TxDOT)
Jack Leonhardt (Mayor of Windcrest), votes against the PEOPLE EVERY chace he gets, time to check his campaign records, they could explain his unwavering loyalty to the road lobby
Abstentions:

Al Notzon (Bexar County appointee)
Notably absent:

State Rep. Carlos Uresti (though he sent a staffer, but he couldn’t cast a vote)
State Rep. Joe Straus
Councilman Chip Haass
Councilman Art HallThat’s HALF of the elected officials who didn’t attend! These MAJOR decisions are largely being sloughed off onto politcial appointees, with NO ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE VOTERS!

Toll Party MPO Statement MPO TMMP Plan based on flawed projections
Plan would require more than $10,000 in NEW TAXES for EVERY person in San Antonio
Thousands of San Antonians ask you to vote NOT to approve the Texas Metropolitan Mobility Plan (TMMP) Plan Update in its current form and seriously evaluate the SMP projects in the TIP to reverse the trend of this MPO being at the bottom of the list of MPOs for STP-MM spending for transit, pedestrian, and bicycle facilities. At least 5% of the STP-MM funds should be set aside for transit purposes so that VIA can accommodate the growth in ridership. Since highway use is declining, this is a rational use of resources.

Now about the traffic projections in the TMMP report. The figures used as the basis for all of the region’s future transportation plans, are flawed. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) is actually withholding its congestion index for this year to rework their faulty approach since at least three states no longer recognize TTI’s index as valid.

TTI index is flawed because:
• Uses estimates not actual measurements
• Too many assumptions to convert limited traffic counts into annual travel delay for a region
• CA, FL, WA prefer to measure actual travel times and actual delays rather than use TTI estimates
• No correlation with highway supply
• TTI has, itself, abandoned their own approach – no report this year

From what we can tell, the entire TMMP report is based upon these flawed congestion projections. Secondly, the travel time index is problematic in and of itself since we’ll likely NEVER be able to build enough freeway lanes to allow every motorist a free flowing commute at top speeds during peak hours as is the stated goal on page 13 when over million people pack the freeways all at once to go to work. Since that’s the stated baseline comparison for the travel time index, it, too, is unrealistic and far too costly, if not impossible to actually achieve.

In fact, Toll Road News, a pro-toll news site by Peter Samuel, published a piece that says this about traffic forecasts and planners:

“Accurate forecasts do not serve their (planners) purposes because they are more interested in using numbers to promote the project…forecasting results in a make-believe world of misrepresentation that makes it extremely difficult to decide which projects deserve undertaking and which do not.”

It goes on to say forecasts should be reviewed by independent auditors, benchmarked against comparables, SUBJECT TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY, and even suggested forecasters should share financial responsibility for financial failure from poor forecasts, and that professional and even criminal penalties should be enforced against forecasters who consistently or wilfully misforecast.

Houston transportation analyst Barry Klein and economist Yacov Zachavi rightly point out that congestion is more perception than anything else and it is also self-limiting. People find a way to resolve it on their own. Commuters either move closer to the their jobs, get new jobs closer to home, or telecommute one or more days a week or otherwise reduce the number of commute days per week if congestion is perceived as unacceptable. Truth is, San Antonio’s average commute time is under 30 minutes and has been under 30 minutes for years (a trend found throughout the country). See in the article The Myth of the Long Commute by Randal O’Toole of the Thoreau Institute in Oregon that “Rational commuters will sooner or later seek to escape congestion by changing the location of their homes and/or their jobs.”

San Antonio ranks number 5 in lanes miles per person in the country. We DO NOT LACK roads. This report claims we need over 2,000 more lane miles per person in the next 25 years. That’s absurd on its face! We lack proper planning and proper development of arterial streets to minimize the need to get on a freeway in order to get around. We shouldn’t be seeing school busses on freeways! The TMMP update even admits that San Antonians have to rely more on freeway travel than other cities. When comparing with national data, San Antonians, in fact, have to drive 19% more than citizens in other metro cities and thus spend $854 million on transportation than other residents of large cities.

The emphasis of this report is to just keep building more and more freeways (giving only lip service to other modes of transportation), thereby exacerbating the very problem you’re seeking to solve! Also, the City and County have given developers a free pass on impact fees that would require them to foot a portion of the bill for the infrastructure needs their new development brings to our area. We, the taxpayers, cannot continue to absorb the cost of development. This issue absolutely must be addressed in order to truly solve the transportation needs of the region. Just ask a now unseated State Rep. for the Boerne area what caused many voters to turn on her in that region? She would not vote to make developers pay impact fees causing staggering property tax rates in Kendall County.

REASONS FOR CONGESTION
So let’s look at other causes of congestion. The top 3 reasons for congestion in this country aren’t due to lack of road capacity but accidents, ROAD CONSTRUCTION, and weather. The construction time alone for these projects will clog up our highways with unrelieved gridlock all over town for decades. What is absolutely unbelievable is how TxDOT is bragging it has more projects under contract than ever in the history of SA right now, and yet also claims they’re out of money. Apparently the new funding bringing us from $2.6 billion up to $3.8 billion (as stated on Page 4) isn’t enough. It’s clear it’ll NEVER be enough for TxDOT unless it includes toll roads.

Also, they’re jacking up nearly every parallel road in the City all at once leaving no alternate routes in some cases. San Pedro, Broadway, and Blanco Road (all parallel to US 281) are under construction all at once. It’s inexcusable and shows a total lack of consideration for motorists and residents who rely on those arteries to get around.

It only gives more fodder to those of us who believe TxDOT appears to be purposely CAUSING CONGESTION TO PUSH A POLITICAL AGENDA and is more beholden to road builders than the taxpayers who pay the bills. Ft. Worth for instance, spent a year beefing up parallel roads and public transit before a major freeway reconstruction project. Why isn’t TxDOT doing that here? They should have at least completed Wurzbach Pkwy before breaking ground on the 410/281 interchange. It’s been planned and funding programmed for decades…the residents were promised the completion more than 10 years ago. Then to make matters worse, they tear-up Isom Rd that’s parallel to 410 at the same time the interchange at 281 is under construction and causing more delays than ever in that area. Dave Pasley’s editorial last December echoes our concerns and solutions:

There are “deep flaws in the city’s political and development practices.”
“Ten years ago there was excess capacity on 281 & 1604. Today there is gridlock. How is it possible to screw up these two highway corridors so badly in just 10 years? How can a city without enough traffic to warrant an HOV lane suddenly have so much congestion it needs a toll road?”
HIS SOLUTIONS:
1. Complete the Wurzbach Parkway ASAP.
2. Make San Antonio developers provide a network of arterial streets as they do in Phoenix.

NOT ABOUT CONGESTION RELIEF
Just take a good hard look at this actual toll road that is exactly what TxDOT plans to do on Loop 1604 and 281 (except on 281 those free lanes will be frontage roads, not freeway lanes, under the control of Cintra-Zachry). This will not solve congestion as the TMMP seeks to do, nor will it reduce pollution or do anything other than manipulate congestion for profit and suck-up yet more of the household budget for transportation costs.

A study conducted by the Surface Transportation Project published in June of 2005 shows the two biggest costs for every household since 1984 are housing and transportation and account for 52% of the average family’s budget (or $21,213 a year)…the highest level in 20 years! Now compare that with the median income in San Antonio of only about $36,000 a year and compare it with TxDOT’s claim they need $40,000 from the average family in San Antonio in the next 25 years, and you’ll see this will not only cripple the economy, it’ll tax people into bankruptcy. Their plan is unrealistic and totally unsustainable!

Census data and this study show that healthcare and food combined don’t even match the transportation costs of the average family and this data was collected BEFORE the rise in price of gasoline!

Key Findings in the study:
– Households in regions that have invested in public transportation reap financial benefits from having affordable transportation options, even as gasoline prices rise.
– Lower income households are particularly burdened by higher transportation costs since these expenditures claim a higher percentage of their budgets even if they are spending less.
– Regions with public transit are losing less per household from the increase in gas prices than those without due to investments by federal, state, and local governments in more efficient transportation systems, effectively lowering household transportation expenditures and converting transportation dollars that would otherwise leave the region in the form of higher payments for gasoline to dollars that help pay for local transportation services plus other household expenses.

An overwhelming number of news reports and research studies show that increasing the cost of transportation hurts the economy, including recent testimony from former Fed Chief Alan Greenspan. You cannot grow an economy by increasing the cost of transportation. With gas prices hovering near $3 a gallon and well over that in parts of the state, we are seeing actual data (not assumptions, forecasts, or anecdotal water cooler chats), ACTUAL DATA from the Federal Highway Administration that show that driving is going down and congestion is going down, not up as TxDOT continually claims.

Next, concerned citizens are adamant about removing TxDOT’s version of toll lanes (in the hands of foreign companies, without accountability to taxpayers, and using existing rights of way) from the current plans and any reliance on or endorsement of the widely detested Trans Texas Corridor.

Since the TMMP Update is to identify unmet needs, and we’ve demonstrated how the traffic and congestion indexes are flawed, and how the report does not take other prevailing financially constraining factors into account (like rising price of gasoline, growth rate tapering off, increased transit ridership) that will mitigate congestion, now let’s move into how toll roads cost more than non-toll projects thereby calling into question this claim of $18 billion in unmet “needs.”

TOLL ROADS COST MORE, CALLS TXDOT’S NEEDS LIST INTO QUESTION
First of all, in an August 20 article in the Austin American Statesman it said “The state Transportation Department’s budget has tripled since 1990, including an 80 percent jump from the budget Perry inherited from George W. Bush to this year’s $7.7 billion spending plan.” The Comptroller has stated “this biennium, TxDOT has $15.2 BILLION to spend – up from $7 billion before Perry was promoted to Governor. That is a whopping $8.2 billion more – a 117 percent increase. Perry admits in the Statesman article that they’re using dollar figures gleaned by asking local transportation planners what they would build if money were no object in order to arrive at their outrageous $86 billion supposed “funding gap.” Couldn’t we all come up with exorbitant figures if money were no object? This whole funding gap claim is tantamount to propaganda!

Then, let’s look at a local project. The ORIGINAL plan for 281, 10 lanes and $100 million, now as a toll road 16 lanes and upwards of $200 million. RMA Chair Bill Thornton even claimed it would cost even more than $300 million! On another project, the cost of the toll equipment doubled the cost of building the road. Project after project, we’ve found the same thing…we’re being charged close to twice as much or more to build TxDOT’s version of toll roads, not to mention the 25-35% more in bureaucracy and administration costs to collect tolls, even electronically, and then the 12-19% profit for the private companies.

TxDOT’s “needs” are wish lists by the Governor’s own admission and the local mythical “funding gap” figure of $18 billion ought to be outright rejected and open to public scrutiny before adoption. To put it in perspective, that’s like saying they need more than $10,000 from every man, woman, and child in San Antonio in the next 25 years…that’s from every person in San Antonio, not just motorists, and that’s $40,000 from a family of 4! These figures are absolutely ABSURD and give you more than enough reason to reject it on its face.

Clearly, there are a host of ways to relieve congestion without adding 2,000 more lane miles and 73+ miles of toll lanes. The increased reliance on tolls to fund all these supposed needs are based on flawed projections and indexes. Two state sponsored reports, already vetted by TxDOT in 1999 and 2001 show realistic, less invasive, and more affordable ways to relieve congestion on I-35 and to replace the need for the Trans Texas Corridor through accelerating the Ports to Plains Plan through West Texas to aid in the growing need to transport goods through the State without taking the richest farmland in Texas for the TTC.

Page 23 of the TMMP Update admits that the new inland Port of San Antonio at Kelly is a new destination for massive increases in international trade and a conduit for goods for much of the Nation’s commerce, so why aren’t you insisting the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT help pay for this infrastructure and not disproportionately burden the Texas taxpayer? Also, there is no mention of Prop 1 rail bonds as a revenue source for the $1 billion in rail relocation costs nor the mention of a deal to develop and construct the TTC-35 rail project already in the works with Cintra-Zachry announced in March. San Antonio taxpayers should NOT be expected to pay an additional $1 billion for the relocation of PRIVATE rail lines, for the deregulated rail industry who has recently enjoyed an 83% boost in profits! We have a host of alternatives listed on our web site, many with identified funding sources.

NO REAL DATA TO SUPPORT TXDOT’S TMMP UPDATE AS PROPOSED
The most recent traffic counts TxDOT has are from 2004, before the significant rise in gas prices. They’re using outdated data that doesn’t take a MAJOR shift in fuel prices into consideration. The planned population growth is all on the outskirts of the City, with people now more than ever needing to live closer to their jobs due to gas prices, that growth projection is likely never to materialize. TxDOT’s agenda has been clear…all roads lead to toll roads in the hands of foreign companies. It doesn’t seem to matter what the research and prevailing evidence shows, in TxDOT’s world “it’s toll roads, slow roads or no roads.” El Paso MPO has paved the way for you. They recently rescinded their vote to toll and are challenging TxDOT and not succumbing to their threats.

State Rep. Joe Pickett and MPO Chair in El Paso asked the MPO to approve a plan that builds a Southern Relief Route for less than $200 million and without tolls.

“We can build four highways with the money needed to build one toll road,” Pickett said. “If you don’t put toll lanes on the road, the cost goes down.”

Pickett said he will continue to work against toll roads and the establishment of an RMA because he said El Paso can keep building roads without toll roads and the money is there to make it happen.

NOTE: He confirms what we’ve contended all along, toll roads cost more to build and maintain and there is money there to build needed freeways WITHOUT TOLLS.

The Comptroller has also demonstrated TxDOT has $7 billion available in mobility and revenue bonds right now, today, to build needed infrastructure without TOLLS.

There is overwhelming public opposition to TxDOT’s version of tolling in SA as well. When 900 people show up to a public hearing on the massive toll corridor TTC I-35 project, it can hardly be construed as anything less than a breathless display of public outrage and opposition to TxDOT’s plans! When’s the last time 900 people turned out to ANY government or public hearing in San Antonio? This Board would be wise to take a step back and challenge the flawed data in this TMMP Update before signing onto to such a political and economic loser.

TxDOT would have us believe there is a congestion crisis….the REAL crisis is the price of gasoline and San Antonio’s lack of a viable public transit alternative to help its citizens cope with the rising price of gas (Forbes Magazine lists SA as one of the Top 10 cities hardest hit by high gas prices). This City does not need nor can it afford toll roads, especially those based on flawed and inflated data driven by special interests not ACTUAL DATA. More affordable, less invasive solutions are there, including in plans conducted by the State and already vetted by TxDOT before this shift to tolls. The money, too, is there. If you’re tired of the shell game where there’s money to build toll roads but not free roads or a viable transit system, and you’re ready to stand with the people of San Antonio who you represent, vote NO on the TMMP as proposed!

Read about Perez’ abuse of his influence here. Richard Perez is not only Councilman for District 4, but also Chair of the MPO. He’s been the poster boy for the toll lobby at public meetings and everywhere he can get in front of a camera. Guess this is one of his “perks” for selling out his southside district who will be priced off our freeways due to tolls.

South Side trip uncovers proof of wasteful City Hall priorities
By Roddy Stinson
San Antonio Express-News
07/13/2006

Tuesday afternoon, I drove to the South Side to verify information left on my telephone recorder by a couple of angry residents of District 4.

Their beef:

In the neighborhood where District 4 Councilman Richard Perez lives, five streets were recently repaved and curbs were repaired even though other streets in the area are in worse shape and many have neither curbs nor sidewalks.

“I guess you have to live next door to a councilman to get your street fixed,” one of the callers grumbled. “Those streets weren’t as bad as mine!”

I decided to go see for myself.

What I found strengthened my conviction that the priorities of San Antonio City Hallers are totally screwed up.

Before I explain in ranting detail, let me dispose of the complaint that sent me to District 4:

The streets/curbs in Councilman Perez’s neighborhood have, indeed, been recently paved/repaired. (As a matter of professional courtesy and personal concern for the safety of the councilman and his family, I am not providing the specific location of the Perez home.)

In an e-mailed response to an inquiry about the street-improvement project, the councilman said:

“I struggled greatly with leaving the streets in this year’s street-paving program because I was afraid … someone would complain that my street was getting preferential treatment by virtue of my City Council status.

“I made the decision that it would not be fair for all of the individuals in my neighborhood to suffer with the deplorable condition of the streets. …

“The streets in question had not been repaved or received maintenance for over 20 years.”

Because one of the complaints mentioned the lack of sidewalks in the area, the councilman added:

“… there is a need for sidewalks throughout the district. Annually, the city allocates a small number of dollars for sidewalks per City Council district. While I would love to install sidewalks throughout the entire district, economically speaking it is not feasible.”

Baloney.

Anyone who has followed this column’s repeated bashing of wasteful mayoral/council spending knows that “economically speaking,” providing sidewalks for the entire community is ENTIRELY FEASIBLE.

All that’s lacking is political will and compassionate concern.

Which brings me to the four children I saw Tuesday afternoon walking toward Gillette Elementary School on the shoulder of Gillette Boulevard, a foot or two from traffic, because the street has no sidewalk.

(The entire two-mile “boulevard” is dangerous for pedestrians except for about 100 yards of sidewalk in front of the school.)

Nearby, Mally Boulevard and Villaret Boulevard are virtually without curbs and sidewalks — including two blocks of Villaret alongside Palo Alto College!

As the mention of Palo Alto implies … this is not a slummy area. There are dozens upon dozens of working-class and middle-class homes.

If you don’t believe me, take a few minutes to drive to the area and look around.

(Go south on I-35, take the Zarzamora Street exit, turn left on Zarzamora and drive about a mile and a half to the first of three east/west arteries — Gillette, Mally and Villaret.)

You will leave the area shaking your head with disbelief that city officials could in good conscience spend tens of millions of dollars on stray animals, homeless vagrants, Alamodome luxury suites and Main Plaza prettying up while a myriad of San Antonio children risk their lives daily to walk from their homes to … anywhere.