Hole in the Wall
Toll Decision Ignores People's Will
RECEIVED Tue., July 20, 2004
Dear Editor,
Why is it that 16 government officials can override a conviction shared by 91% of the people ["Divided CAMPO Says Yes to Toll Plan," News, July 16]? On CAMPO's Web site it says that 91% of the people are against the current toll plan that was passed 16-7 by our elected and appointed officials. This is not democracy. This is rape. The tollbooths will hurt the underpaid workers who live in the outskirts and drive to Austin to work in retail and food service. Our highways will be more congested than Chicago's, which are among the worst in the nation. Our cars will break down more often as we are constantly hitting the brakes and sitting in traffic with the air-conditioning running at full blast. We will waste millions of gallons of gas and 20-30 minutes each way to work, which will hurt productivity and the economy. Property values outside the center of Austin will drop. Property values in Austin in general may drop because nobody will want to live in a congested hellhole. The 16 irresponsible officials who voted yes should be removed from office and barred from government forever for ignoring the will of the people. A much less destructive way to raise money would have been to increase taxes on sales, gas, and/or property.
Why is it that 16 government officials can override a conviction shared by 91% of the people ["Divided CAMPO Says Yes to Toll Plan," News, July 16]? On CAMPO's Web site it says that 91% of the people are against the current toll plan that was passed 16-7 by our elected and appointed officials. This is not democracy. This is rape. The tollbooths will hurt the underpaid workers who live in the outskirts and drive to Austin to work in retail and food service. Our highways will be more congested than Chicago's, which are among the worst in the nation. Our cars will break down more often as we are constantly hitting the brakes and sitting in traffic with the air-conditioning running at full blast. We will waste millions of gallons of gas and 20-30 minutes each way to work, which will hurt productivity and the economy. Property values outside the center of Austin will drop. Property values in Austin in general may drop because nobody will want to live in a congested hellhole. The 16 irresponsible officials who voted yes should be removed from office and barred from government forever for ignoring the will of the people. A much less destructive way to raise money would have been to increase taxes on sales, gas, and/or property.
Andrew Rumelt