Texans, Assume the Position

Dateline, November 17, Austin, Texas as reported in the Houston Chronicle on the same date: TxDOT aims to tighten purse strings. Deficit may top $1.8 billion by fiscal 2012 with current slate of road projects.

Seems there’s a funding shortfall. Could we say poor financial management or foresight? I don’t know. I’m new to this. Maybe you’d know. But it seems big time cuts are coming. Now THIS I’ve heard before when my energy and efforts were focused on the state school system. It’s gone to hell in a hand basket and if you are one of the more than 60,000 families in Texas with a severely mentally, physically or mixed handicapped member, you and that member are pretty much on your own. However, roads have the ability to grow money, especially if our governor and president have their ways (and when have they not?)

Let’s check out this whining that TxDOT is doing. Hmmm. Need to cut hundreds of millions of dollars budgeted for everything from consulting engineers to right-of-way purchases; wouldn’t effect existing road projects; “difficult to say” about delays on future projects; funds just aren’t keeping up with needs so key areas like maintenance must be priorities (thank God someone is remembering about bridges, etc.); Texas is getting less federal transportation money than previously expected; state was hoping for funds from partnerships with private entities on toll roads; there is a need to increase the gasoline tax; a constitutional amendment needs to be voted in to prohibit highway funds from being diverted to other sources (like education and Department of Public Safety); and a hiring freeze needs to be implemented. Oh, and they are even going to have to cut down on the advertisements to convince voters that the TransTexas Corridor and toll roads are needed ever so badly. A tissue please; I feel a tear coming. There is a funny part to this. Representative Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, chairman of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee, got his knickers all in a twist because he wasn’t consulted by TxDOT about this matter before a reporter alerted him to the announcement.

Whoa.

That’s quite a big and unusual job for the TxDOT to have to do. Did they not make enough money off the prison land they sold in Fort Bend County? Do you sense something hinky here? Do you sense this is fake blubbering to take the place of the advertising money to make voters believe the TTC and toll roads are going to cure Texans of all ills except scorpions and haints? Our state is trying to financially blackmail us.

So citizens, we have a choice. We can fight this by contacting every state congressman and senator or we can assume the position: hand on checkbook for application of snake oil lubrication and squeal like TxDOT’s doing now.