The current toll-road wars are profoundly depressing in so many ways. Not only have they brought out the worst in so many, but even the best aspect – citizen involvement – is tainted because, although this state has passed so many egregious, unconscionable laws, this is among the least of issues.
Americans don’t want to pay for the government that exists. Texans want to pay even less, and they certainly have no interest in paying for the quality of government they demand. Texans are overtaxed. This is because we are one of 11 states without an income tax. Revenue is generated by a range of taxes – particularly property, gas, and sales taxes. These are regressive taxes – so called because a disproportionate share of the tax burden falls on those on the lower end of the income scale.
Any overt and honest attempt to raise taxes in Texas is doomed to failure. The current school-funding situation is impossible. Legislators have yet to find a solution because they are not really looking. What they are working toward is a lie that most of them can agree on.
Which brings us to roads:
Texans want more roads. They just don’t want to pay for them. This is because they don’t want to pay for anything (my suggestion: invade and conquer neighboring states and tax them). Some roads that are being built already have dedicated lines of funding. There are federal and state funds available for road building. Still, the question of how to pay for them is unavoidable when one considers the number of major roads likely to be built, as well as overall upkeep, maintenance, personnel, and improvements. This campaign against toll roads is not a campaign against roads, but against tolls. Toll roads are not a separate evil, but are part and parcel with roads. Unfortunately, many of the “leaders” don’t want to actually deal with complex issues, so they reduce it to good guys and bad guys.
In a manner Sen. Joe McCarthy would have loved, they attack the “toll-road lobby.” They cast aspersions of massive graft; they float rumors of conflicts of interest; and they spread any gossip that they can find that helps their cause as though it was a verified fact.
Who is in the “toll-road lobby”? There is a road lobby, one that is well-funded and has enormous popular support. Building roads also makes a number of people a lot of money. But the only group that has a vested interest in toll roads is companies involved in toll-collecting hardware, software, and management.
Now I’m not being disingenuous; the road lobby supports toll roads. This is because they don’t think there is any other way to get Texans to pay for them. They know Texans don’t want to pay tolls, but they want roads. Most politicians understand that toll roads are going to happen, and they know how empty any promise is that, as soon as the road is paid for, tollbooths will be taken down. But it sells.
Politicians who defend toll roads are attacked as selling out the people and being corrupt. They are just trying to get voters to face facts. Those who oppose toll roads are just going any way the wind blows, knowing that, practically speaking, there really isn’t much they can do about them.
Politicians who support toll roads and then publicly come out against them are playing to the voters. The anti-toll gang calls them heroes! What for? Lying, taking a bogus stand, and pandering to voters?
The thing that voters in Texas so desperately need to hear is that established truth: “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch!” One way or another, you are going to pay for it – unless, of course, you have the immoral genius of the Bush administration and leave it as debt for your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 
This article appears in February 24 • 2006.