Is There Not One of You? Yet Another TX Gov. Poll

[JohnnyMarzetti]

Well ES, one thing about it. At my age, I more than likely wont have to
pay them for very long. But I have travelled in the East many times and
let me tell you something. Continually paying for use of a highway is
really a pain. Talk about slow downs, how bout a toll booth every few
miles and believe me they do exist in New York and New Jersey. I see
no reason that gasoline taxes would have to be raised very much. That
the reason for the tolls, to pay for the highways. I cant remember how long
it took to pay for the Dallas/Ft. Worth tollway, about 25 years I believe, but
it is now totally free to drive on. But it was financed by the business
community of the two cities, I believe and that was the agreement they
and the State came to and abide by. That kind of agreement I could
live with........but believe me, once Wolfe, Hardberger and the other
liberals see how much they can raise by charging tolls and have that
money to spend on their little projects, well you know the rest of the
story. Welcome to the world of Yankee/liberal politics.

Wolfe and Hardberger are hardly liberals.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Common sense doesn't produce the amount of money needed to fix the highway situation in San Antonio.

Common sense doesn't build something the scope of the TTC when there are other solutions out there.

Common sense says that trucking companies aren't going to be dropping the $200 in tolls to get from the border at Mexico to north of Dallas without passing the cost on to you and me in the form of increased prices for all goods we consume.

Look, something needs to be done about the transportation situation in the state of Texas. But the TTC isn't the right answer.

There hasn't been a toll road built in the entire continental United States in the last 20 years that has even hit 70% of the projected revenue for the roads, and yet we're supposed to magically believe that here in the state of Texas we'll hit 100% of revenue.

Perry and Co. didn't learn from the Camino Colombia toll road. And I've actually tried to find out who picks up the tab if the revenue streams force a default on the loan, but TxDOT and Perry's admin. aren't telling. That tells me that we, the people of the state of Texas, will get stuck with the tab.

And that's bull . I ing hate Perry, he forgot all about how W. and then him got to the governor's office. Perry's a Republican only to the extent that he has an (R) next to his name.

[FromWayDowntown]

Wolfe and Hardberger are hardly liberals.

xray thought Reagan and Nixon were liberals, too.

[johnsmith]

Common sense doesn't build something the scope of the TTC when there are other solutions out there.

Common sense says that trucking companies aren't going to be dropping the $200 in tolls to get from the border at Mexico to north of Dallas without passing the cost on to you and me in the form of increased prices for all goods we consume.

Look, something needs to be done about the transportation situation in the state of Texas. But the TTC isn't the right answer.

There hasn't been a toll road built in the entire continental United States in the last 20 years that has even hit 70% of the projected revenue for the roads, and yet we're supposed to magically believe that here in the state of Texas we'll hit 100% of revenue.

Perry and Co. didn't learn from the Camino Colombia toll road. And I've actually tried to find out who picks up the tab if the revenue streams force a default on the loan, but TxDOT and Perry's admin. aren't telling. That tells me that we, the people of the state of Texas, will get stuck with the tab.

And that's bull . I ing hate Perry, he forgot all about how W. and then him got to the governor's office. Perry's a Republican only to the extent that he has an (R) next to his name.

I don't totally disagree with you, but look at what you quoted me as saying, "common sense doesn't come up with the money to build roads in SAN ANTONIO".

Having said that, I wasn't really clear initially, like I said before, I'm impartial when it comes to the TTC but I'm in full support of San Antonio toll roads.

[j-6]

I cant remember how long it took to pay for the Dallas/Ft. Worth tollway, about 25 years I believe, but it is now totally free to drive on.

The tollway has been paid for since like '02 or so, but people still have to pay to drive on it.

[PixelPusher]

it's embarassing that europe and china have high-speed trains and we don't

ditto for internet speed.

[johnsmith]

it's embarassing that europe and china have high-speed trains and we don't

It's funny too because Railways are now cheaper to build then freeways are.

[CubanMustGo]

The tollway has been paid for since like '02 or so, but people still have to pay to drive on it.

He said the Dallas-Ft Worth Tollway (aka I-30), not the Dallas North Tollway.

[j-6]

He said the Dallas-Ft Worth Tollway (aka I-30), not the Dallas North Tollway.

My fault Cuban and Xray - didn't even think of the old Turnpike when I read the post. I wasn't even alive when that was still a tollroad.

I'm kind of pro-tollroad, by the way, for the sole fact that plenty of other people that live around me don't use them. If the two main roads I took to work every day were free, it would take me 90 minutes to get to work instead of 45-50. And with a toll-tag, I use my monthly statements as a tax writeoff at the end of the year.

The TTC, however, is a completely different story. Something about this reminds me of the SSC of a dozen years ago, when two billion dollars of a nine billion dollar project was spent burying that huge-ass tunnel by Ennis and Waxahachie. Then the political climate shifted, progress was cancelled, and the areas affected by the project fell into recession.

That area was just four counties and it was suckling from the federal . The TTC will directly affect every driver in the state of Texas - wait until it starts costing more to register a vehicle here than it does in California. Or inspections go up to $60. Or TT&L fees in a vehicle purchase quadruple.

[xrayzebra]

^^j-6 never fear, you will have your toll roads. The Pols are going to push it
through one way or the other.

The next thing is what happened in England (London) special permit to drive into
main part of London, or pay by the day, or pay a fine. Speed camera's all over the
place and tickets in the mail. Oh, for the life of socialism. They take care of the
poor(?) by making the rich(?) pay for everything. One way or the other.

[johnsmith]

^^j-6 never fear, you will have your toll roads. The Pols are going to push it
through one way or the other.

The next thing is what happened in England (London) special permit to drive into
main part of London, or pay by the day, or pay a fine. Speed camera's all over the
place and tickets in the mail. Oh, for the life of socialism. They take care of the
poor(?) by making the rich(?) pay for everything. One way or the other.

They had those speed camera's in Colorado and I never got one single ticket from them.........then again, I don't speed.

[Nbadan]

Chris Bell, the Democratic candidate for TX Governor, is almost out of money

Oct. 11, 2006, 1:34AM
CAMPAIGN 2006
Lawyer's $1 million keeps Bell in game
John O'Quinn's record donation key for campaign about to run out
By R.G. RATCLIFFE and JANET ELLIOTT
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN

- Houston trial lawyer John O'Quinn saved Democrat Chris Bell's struggling gubernatorial campaign from financial oblivion this week by making a record $1 million donation.

Even with O'Quinn's money, Bell's campaign is just back on even footing with independent Kinky Friedman and still dramatically trailing the financial resources of Republican Gov. Rick Perry and independent Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn.

But for a candidate on the verge of running out of money, the donation was manna from heaven — or at least from a trial lawyer.

O'Quinn has promised to raise another $4 million for Bell's campaign, and that could make the Democrat more compe ive with all his opponents.

Houston Chronicle

Bell has asked Kinky Friedman to step aside his lagging campaign for the good of the state.

[Spurminator]

Maybe Bell and Kinky should drop out. It's not like the Kinky votes would all go to Bell, and even if they did it probably still wouldn't be enough to beat Perry.

[Lebowski Brickowski]

Here in Austin, I'm going to pay tolls on roads that my taxes have already paid for.
This is the only city in the country where freeways will have been converted to tollways. How do you spell DOUBLE TAXATION?

I can't get into this again -- I feel my heart palpitating.

[01Snake]

Here in Austin, I'm going to pay tolls on roads that my taxes have already paid for.
This is the only city in the country where freeways will have been converted to tollways. How do you spell DOUBLE TAXATION?

I can't get into this again -- I feel my heart palpitating.

I'd love to pay tolls in order to avoid traffic down here in SA. Who cares if said roads have already been paid for via taxes?

[Yonivore]

, I'm all for the Toll Roads! I can't wait until they open and all those people standing in line for their TxTags can just zip across town with ease. It'll leave the freeways open for us that refuse to pay tolls.

And, Lebowski, except for a small portion of Loop 1, in South Austin, I'm not aware of any existing roadway that is going to be converted to toll roads. I even think the tollers have given up on that section of road as well.

Currently, either State or Federal (probably State) Law prohibits tollways in areas where there is no free alternative. So, why worry? You don't have to use the toll road.

[JoeChalupa]

I'm just glad I don't live over in that 281/1604 area.

the tolls.

[01Snake]

I'm just glad I don't live over in that 281/1604 area.

the tolls.

Exactly. You wouldn't feel the same if you had to deal with the crap over here.

[johnsmith]

, I'm all for the Toll Roads! I can't wait until they open and all those people standing in line for their TxTags can just zip across town with ease. It'll leave the freeways open for us that refuse to pay tolls.

And, Lebowski, except for a small portion of Loop 1, in South Austin, I'm not aware of any existing roadway that is going to be converted to toll roads. I even think the tollers have given up on that section of road as well.

Currently, either State or Federal (probably State) Law prohibits tollways in areas where there is no free alternative. So, why worry? You don't have to use the toll road.

Bad news Yoni, the roads that will be tolled on SA will be (eventually) 1604, parts of 281, parts of I-10, and a road that I can't remember the name of on the west side of town. The freeway part of the road is what's going to be tolled, the open to anyone that wants to drive on it will be none other then the frontage roads. So your "zip" across town will be halted by traffic light after traffic light after traffic light.

You're right about the part in Austin too by the way, they aren't "converting" pre-existing roads into toll roads.

[johnsmith]

Exactly. You wouldn't feel the same if you had to deal with the crap over here.

Yep, drive on 1604/281 area at around 4:00-6:00 PM every ing day, you'll feel differently about toll roads.

[JoeChalupa]

Yep, drive on 1604/281 area at around 4:00-6:00 PM every ing day, you'll feel differently about toll roads.

Thank God for Wurzback Parkway. I used to have to deal with that 1606/281 crap but I avoid that area like the plague. I have a few co-workers who live out that way and it takes them longer to get home than I do.

[johnsmith]

Thank God for Wurzback Parkway. I used to have to deal with that 1606/281 crap but I avoid that area like the plague. I have a few co-workers who live out that way and it takes them longer to get home than I do.

Yeah, I love the foresight that the engineers had when they designed 281/1604. See what happens when you let Aggies do anything.

[Yonivore]

Bad news Yoni, the roads that will be tolled on SA will be (eventually) 1604, parts of 281, parts of I-10, and a road that I can't remember the name of on the west side of town. The freeway part of the road is what's going to be tolled, the open to anyone that wants to drive on it will be none other then the frontage roads. So your "zip" across town will be halted by traffic light after traffic light after traffic light.

That won't fly for long. One of two things will happen...

Their precious toll roads will be flooded with non-payers or the hue and cry will be too much for the politicians to bear.

You're right about the part in Austin too by the way, they aren't "converting" pre-existing roads into toll roads.

Yep, I hope they are very successful here. IH-35 may finally be a reasonable drive from Round Rock to Austin again.

[johnsmith]

That won't fly for long. One of two things will happen...

Their precious toll roads will be flooded with non-payers or the hue and cry will be too much for the politicians to bear.

People flooding the toll roads without having paid will be ticketed either by traffic police or cameras set up. Your other point, "hue and cry", this isn't up to the city of San Antonio so their complaints will fall on the deaf ears of Austin law makers that are thinking one thing, $$$$$$$. They'll be able to bear it.

[Lebowski Brickowski]

Current Proposal for Planned Toll Roads In Austin, TX