FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 28, 2009
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Sadosky
Sen. Hutchison Discusses Tolling Moratorium Amendment, Property Rights With South Texas Community Leaders
Stops in McAllen and Victoria to Discuss Improving Transportation Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC - In McAllen and Victoria today, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), the ranking Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, discussed her toll moratorium bill and property rights, as well as commerce and business priorities with area leaders.
“As our state continues to grow, our transportation infrastructure must also keep pace,” said Sen. Hutchison. “Any solutions to the challenges facing our transportation system must uphold the property rights of Texas landowners and allow our communities to thrive. Toll roads can make a positive impact in areas where residents have approved them, but I am strongly opposed to authorizing new tolls on existing roads previously built with taxpayer money.”
Senator Hutchison met with the US 77 and US 281 Coalitions in McAllen and local leaders in Victoria to discuss plans to expand the I-69 Corridor. In March 2008, Sen. Hutchison expressed serious concerns over the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) plan to utilize eminent domain for new routes in the construction of I-69 and how that would affect private property rights, businesses, and agricultural land. She sent a letter to the Federal Highway Administration and TxDOT expressing her support to instead expand I-69 through existing roads, which would protect the property rights of landowners along the Corridor’s intended path. Three months later, TxDOT announced it would scrap plans to utilize eminent domain for new routes and pursue expansion of existing lanes instead.
In addition to discussing plans for the I-69 Corridor, Sen. Hutchison outlined her efforts to prohibit tolling on federal highways. In response to renewed calls for tolling on Texas roads, Sen. Hutchison introduced a bill on May 21 that would permanently ban adding tolls to federal highways. Sen. Hutchison has consistently opposed efforts to implement tolling on existing federally-funded roads, which motorists have already paid for through taxes.
Sen. Hutchison’s legislation would prevent states, private entities, or private-public partnerships from adding tolls on existing free federal highways, bridges, or tunnels built with federal funding. Furthermore, the bill would prohibit states from attempting to purchase highways from the federal government and place them under state ownership or lease them to foreign investors for the purpose of tolling them. The legislation does not prohibit tolls on new construction.
--END--
|
