While debating Texas State Senator Sharpio's CS CB 887 bill, Sen. Steve Odgen proposed an amendment which defines surplus toll revenue from CDA (private public partnerships) on Texas State Highway projects as TAX REVENUE. Odgen states that this money is Fund Six dollars. Fund Six contains gasoline tax dollars and some other revenue that is usually appropriated on TxDOT state highway projects (building and maintenance).
A very fascinating debate occurred on the floor:
- Acknowledging that if a bill with Sharpio's language in CS CB 887 does not pass, then under current law, excess toll revenue from one region could be applied by TxDot to projects in other regions. (Sharpio's bill changes "May" to "Will" so that the law requires the surplus toll revenue to be applied to projects in the region where the toll is collected.)
- Sharpio and Odgen debate whether excess toll revenue under CDA contracts are state tax revenue or merely payments from a contract. (They agree that it must be debated further and needs to be clarified).
- A rural senator asks "If the metropolitian areas get funding through these surplus toll revenue from CDA upfront payments, will that free up more Fund 6 tax dollars for projects in our areas." (They are still debating that point.) Sharpio said "Maybe."
- That opens the question: If the DFW's 2030 mobility plan which proposes to build 675 miles of new tolled state freeways in the next 30 years and only 70 new miles of untolled freeways, and the tolled highways generate state taxes which are Fund 6 dollars subject to legislative appropriation, WILL THAT EXCLUDE THIS REGION from receiving the same share of Fund 6 gas dollars that it would have if this region did not generate surplus toll revenue from toll projects. That is not the million dollar question but rather the multi-billion dollar question: Will citizens in the DFW area pay more for goods and services shipped in this region, pay more to travel on state highways in this region through toll payments, and still be paying the same amount of gasoline taxes and other state taxes as citizens in other regions who rely predominately on non toll transportation revenue schemes for building and construction of state highways?
This is the DFW region's 30 year transportation plan. Will this plan make DFW businesses less competitive with companies located in other parts of the state which do not rely on toll roads to raise revenue for state highway construction and maintenance? [Click on images to enlarge]
| During the 30 years (2000-2030) the RTC (Regional Transportation Commission of the NTCOG) and TxDOT propose to add 675 miles of managed lanes (TOLL FREEWAYS and TOLLED HOV LANES on existing Freeways) in the DFW region.
They only propose adding 70 additional miles of NON-TOLLED FREEWAYS! They are planning to sign 50 year contracts for these tolled managed lanes and toll roads! EXEMPTING DFW from the 2 year moratorium is BAD if this is the BEST THEY HAVE TO OFFER!
The legend is hard to read. It says that:
<font color=green>Green is proposed New Toll ways.</font><font color=blue> Blue is proposed extensions of existing freeways/toll ways or improving existing highways/freeways by adding HOV toll lanes.</font> Black is freeways/toll ways. <font color=red>Red is non-tolled freeways.</font>
From 2000 to 2030 the Regional Transportation Plan for DFW:
2000 | 25 miles of existing toll roads built and managed by public toll authority |
2030 | 675 miles of managed lanes and toll road under CDAs (Public private partnerships with 50 year contracts financed at higher rates than public bond and with higher tolls to generate "SURPLUS TOLL REVENUE" for investor return on investment (profit) and up-front payments to the RTC for use on non-toll projects). |
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Will citizens in this area pay more than their fair share for highway construction?
Will they have to pay their fair share of state gasoline and other taxes which builds roads in other regions while still having to pay high tolls to travel in their own region?
For the past month I have concentrated almost every waking moment on calling elected officials and discussing transportation policy, conflict of interest in government, and my perception of the problems in transferring control over state highway money to local non-elected regional bodies. I have spoken to the staffer of every member of the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security. I have spoken to many of the staffers of State Representatives. Today I heard Senator Odgen debate on the floor of the Senate that excess toll revenue on state highways is actually state tax money. For several years CDA, TTC, and public private partnerships for highway construction have been key issues in Austin, Washington and in regional transportation committees of COGs. Today was the first time that I have heard an official actually state that TOLL REVENUE on State Highways is STATE TAX REVENUE.
Politicians who fear raising taxes have run toward CDAs as revenue raising schemes to finance infrastructure. It is imperative that the sugar coating come off and everyone -- politician and citizen -- understand and ackowledge that TOLLS are TAXES. Voting for tolls is as serious as voting to raise taxes.
It is imperative that the sugar coating is ripped off and tolls