WOAH Toll...

PLEASE CALL, WRITE, SHOW UP or ALL OF THE ABOVE!

A MESSAGE FROM TERRI HALL, Texas United for Reform and Freedom (TURF):
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GRASSROOTS ACTION ALERT
Rep. Larry Phillips' bill, HB 3391, is up for a hearing Tuesday in the House Transportation Committee (Rm. E2.012 @ 8 AM) that would give TxDOT and toll authorities a BLANK CHECK to enter into TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR-style toll roads that hand control of at least 26 Texas roads every two years until 2017 (and expand it to any or all RAIL projects) to private, even foreign, corporations in sweetheart deals for a HALF CENTURY.

More info on these controversial contracts here.

We need Texans to do one of the following:

1) Attend the House Transportation Committee hearing Tuesday, March 26 (Rm. E2.012 - starts at 8 AM, but likely won't be heard until the afternoon) to testify against this horrible bill that will cost Texas commuters 75 cents a mile to use our public roads; OR

2) If you can't stay to testify, register against the bill at the Capitol (register AGAINST the bill on the i-Pad looking kiosks outside committee rooms); OR

3) Call the House Transportation Committee member (Capitol Switchboard is 512-463-4630) closest to your city and tell them to vote 'No on HB 3391' (more talking points below)

Rep. Larry Phillips (Sherman-Denison/Grayson Cty area) (Phillips says his constituents LOVE toll roads) - 512-463-0297
Rep. George Lavender (East Texas) - 512-463-0692
Rep. Allen Fletcher (Houston) - 512-463-0661
Rep. Debbie Riddle (Houston) - 512-463-0572
Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (Irving/North Texas) - 512-463-0641
Rep. Yvonne Davis (Dallas) - 512-463-0598
Rep. Cindy Burkett (Mesquite/North Texas) - 512-463-0464
Rep. Ruth McClendon (San Antonio) - 512-463-0708
Rep. Joe Pickett (El Paso) - 512-463-0596
Rep. Mando Martinez (Hidalgo County/the Rio Grande Valley) - 512-463-0530
Rep. Robert Guerra (Hidalgo County/the Rio Grande Valley) - 512-463-0578

EMAIL the entire House Transportation Committee in one click here: house_hc@texasturf.org

Tell them "Vote 'No' on HB 3391. We do not want you to hand Texas roads to private corporations who extract exorbitant toll rates (75 cents/mile) from commuters just to get to work. Texas roads belong to Texans. It's anti-liberty and un-Texan to hand our state sovereignty over public infrastructure to private, even foreign, entities for a HALF CENTURY in sweetheart deals that guarantee profits. We don't want this authority to extend to RAIL boondoggles either!"

MORE BAD BILLS

There are also bills to give toll authorities their OWN COURTS to be the judge & jury in cases disputing toll fines/fees that would grant them authority to block your car registration. It's the fox guarding the henhouse and eliminates any REAL due process afforded Texans in traditional courts where an unbiased third party hears the case.

HB 3048 - Also to be heard in House Transportation Committee Tuesday, Rm E2.012 @ 8 AM.

GOOD BILLS TO BE HEARD THIS WEEK

HB 1054 - (Lavender) To prohibit the conversion of a FREEway into a tollway. Removes loopholes that have plagued our state since 2003! (Will be heard in House Transportation Committee Tuesday, Rm E2.012 @ 8 AM)
SB 1029 - (Campbell) To prohibit the conversion of a FREEway into a tollway. Removes loopholes that have plagued our state since 2003! (Will be heard in Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday, Rm E1.016 @ 8 AM)
SB 1253 - (Zaffirini) To prohibit TxDOT or toll agencies from downgrading/slowing the free routes adjacent to toll lanes/toll roads. (Read why this bill is necessary here. TxDOT increased the speed limit on SH 130, the first foreign-owned toll road in TX, to 85 MPH and lowered the speed limit on adjacent Hwy 183 from 65 MPH down to 55 MPH). (Will be heard in Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday, Rm E1.016 @ 8 AM)