Stimulus Fixin’ to Be a Fight in Texas

http://www.propublica.org/article/stimulus-fixin-to-be-a-fight-in-texas

Stimulus Fixin’ to Be a Fight in Texas
by Michael Grabell, ProPublica - March 3, 2009 11:24 am EST


The White House will release <1> a state-by-state overview of infrastructure spending this afternoon. But Texas lawmakers are already feuding over how it will be spent.

House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam lashed out at Texas Department of Transportation officials at a hearing Monday, saying that the state might have violated the law by failing to direct the stimulus money to economically distressed areas, according to the Associated Press <2>.

TxDOT released a list last week showing how it will spend the first $500 million in road and bridge projects, and it is expected to vote Thursday on how to allocate $1.2 billion more.

Under the heading for $27.5 billion in highway funding, the American Recovery and Reinvestement Act says:



"I don't know how you give priority on a decision after the fact, which is what you're telling me y'all are fixing to do," Dunnam told TxDOT officials, according to The Texas Observer <3>. "And we're going to have egg all over everyone's faces if the {U.S.} Department of Transportation says they want $500 million back."

But a TxDOT spokesman told the AP that Dunnam may be misunderstanding the law.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, others are complaining that more than $700 million in stimulus money could go to toll roads <4>, the Houston Chronicle reports.

I knew those assholes would cram the toll roads down our throats before anyone got a real chance to fight them. I live in an area that is slated for toll roads on two sides of my house. I won't be able to get my mail without paying for it!

If the TxDOT is using Taxpayers money for Toll Roads then once again we are being charged double. We are paying for the Roads already.

Why should we be expected to continue to pay for the Roads we travel on?.?.?

Apparently the Bozo's at TxDOT don't "get it" :grr:

With the new Toll Roads only the rich will be driving on them since they will be the only people to afford it, therefore they get uncongested highways, meanwhile the poorer people will be stuck in traffic once again.

Why does the TxDOT get the last say in our state's decisions that effect us all?.?.?

Where is the fairness in how our Tax Dollars are spent?.?.?

AGAIN :grr:

tbyg52's thread - Stimulus $$ for toll roads? (Action alert if you think *not*)

:kick:

Sonia

More:
http://asthecourtturns.blogspot.com/2009/03/modest-proposal.html