November 13, 2004

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Governor Perry and his friends spent a great
deal of time researching ideas to create more
revenue, to decrease the cost of doing business
and to deliver services to Texans as fast and as
cheap as possible. First was the idea of using
toll debt to build new highways in the
state. Properly planned and executed the Trans
Texas Corridor will produce cash for
transportation projects throughout the state
including urban Texas. Comments of
Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
addressing the House Transportation Committee
about legislation creating the Trans Texas
Corridor.  March 25, 2003.
November 13, 2004
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"One of the big issues that kind of got 3588
going wasthe issue of funding for
transportation."  Transportation Policy
Director John Langmore, 78th Legislature(Austin,
March 4, 2004)
November 13, 2004
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". . . concentrating on the four primary routes
first, is the beginning of generating the cash
flow . . ." Transportation Commissioner Ric
Williamson (June 27, 2002)
November 13, 2004
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"It's either toll roads, slow roads or no
roads" Transportation Commissioner Ric
Williamson (May 2004) "in your lifetime most
existing roads will have tolls"
Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(October 11, 2004)
November 13, 2004
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House Bill 358820 Articles
Article   1. Trans-Texas Corridor Article   2.
Regional Mobility Authorities Article   3.
Advance Acquisition of Property Article   4.
Rail Facilities Article   5. Issuance of Bonds
and Other Public Securities Article   6.
Pass-Through Tolls Article   7. Conversion of
Nontoll State Highway Article 11. Disposition of
Dept of Public Safety Fees Article 13. Statewide
Coordination of Public Transportation Article
15. Texas Turnpike Authority Article 19.
Miscellaneous Provisions
November 13, 2004
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"...the commission has the same powers and duties
relating to the condemnation and acquisition of
real property for a facility of the Trans-Texas
Corridor that the commission and the department
have relating to the condemnation or purchase of
real property..." Sec. 227.041(a) "...an
authority may not pay compensation for public
real property, parkways, streets, highways,
alleys, or reservations it takes..."  Sec.
370.169(a)
November 13, 2004
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"...generating revenue, directly or indirectly,
for use in constructing or operating the
Trans-Texas Corridor from or for ancillary
facilities that directly benefit users of the
Trans-Texas Corridor." Sec. 227.041(b)(5)
"...the department may require a person,
including a governmental or private entity, to
pay a fee as a condition of using any part of the
Trans-Texas Corridor." Sec. 227.081(a)
November 13, 2004
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"Property may be leased or a franchise or license
granted for any purpose, including use as a
facility and use for unrelated commercial,
industrial, or agricultural purposes." Sec.
227.082(d) "Tolls, fees, fares, or other usage
charges are not subject to supervision or
regulation by any agency of this state or another
governmental entity." Sec. 370.172(d)
November 13, 2004
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"The commission by order may convert a segment of
the free state highway system to a turnpike
project and transfer that segment to an
authority, or may transfer an existing turnpike
project that is part of the state highway system,
whether previously tolled or not..." Sec.
370.035(a) "An authority may impose a toll for
transit over an existing free road, street, or
public highway transferred to the authority under
this chapter." Sec. 370.176(a)
November 13, 2004
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"...contract with a person for the use of part of
a transportation project, or lease or sell part
of a transportation project, including the
right-of-way adjoining the portion used to
transport people and property, for any purpose,
including placing on the adjoining right-of-way a
gas station, garage, store, hotel, restaurant,
parking facility, railroad track, billboard,
livestock pasturage, telephone line or facility,
telecommunication line or facility, data
transmission line or facility, or electric line
or facility, under terms set by the authority."
Sec. 370.172(a)(2)
November 13, 2004
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"An authority is exempt from payment of
development fees, utility connection fees,
assessments, and service fees imposed or assessed
by any governmental entity or any property
owners' or homeowners' association." Sec.
370.175(b)
November 13, 2004
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"It HB-3588 gives us all of the authority and
all of the power we need on a state level to
move forward on the Trans-Texas Corridor, plus
some." Phillip Russell, Director, Texas
Turnpike Authority Div (August 20, 2003)
November 13, 2004
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"Our goal is to award -- our plan is to award and
execute the CDA by late 2004. We stand committed
to that schedule, and we're going to work very
hard to try to maintain that schedule." Edward
Pensock, Director of Corridor Planning
Development, Texas Turnpike Authority Division
(August 20, 2003)
November 13, 2004
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"I don't think the general public is aware of
all the information they need to know and whether
or not this is good for all areas." TX Rep.
"Robby" Cook (July 4, 2004)
November 13, 2004
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"... there are serious questions being raised by
the citizens of Texas about this new approach to
funding highways in our state." Carole Keeton
Strayhorn, Texas State Comptroller
November 13, 2004
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