AFS Cinema
Toll Road Plan Must Be Opposed
RECEIVED Tue., Oct. 12, 2004
Dear Editor,
The comments of some of the small number of Austinites who actually support the CTRMA toll road plan, including Mike Clark-Madison ["Austin@Large," News, Sept. 17], indicate that there is some confusion about what the real problem with this plan is. The issue is how the tolls (or more precisely the prospect of tolls) will be used, not whether they constitute a fair-use payment. What the CTRMA intends to do is borrow enormous amounts of money using future toll revenues as collateral in order to build unwanted and largely unneeded roads as quickly as possible. This is nothing more than a cash grab to benefit the highway lobby and suburban real estate speculators. Then, when and if the projected toll revenues don't materialize (a very likely scenario, given the steadily increasing price of oil), they will simply default on the bonds, leaving taxpayers holding the bag. (See Southwest Parkway for an existing example.) The highway builders and real estate speculators walk away with billions leaving us to pay the bills while enjoying a considerably compromised environment and even more crappy, unsustainable land use. It is for this reason that the toll road plan must be opposed unequivocally and toll road supporters on the CAMPO board must be convinced to put an end to this nonsense by whatever means necessary. I don't think I've ever seen greater consensus in Austin on any other issue (i.e. opposition to toll roads), and yet this piece of sh*t is still in place. We're like the Czech Republic in 1969 realizing that "hey, I guess we're not a democracy after all" as the road-building equipment (as opposed to Russian tanks) comes rolling into town.
The comments of some of the small number of Austinites who actually support the CTRMA toll road plan, including Mike Clark-Madison ["Austin@Large," News, Sept. 17], indicate that there is some confusion about what the real problem with this plan is. The issue is how the tolls (or more precisely the prospect of tolls) will be used, not whether they constitute a fair-use payment. What the CTRMA intends to do is borrow enormous amounts of money using future toll revenues as collateral in order to build unwanted and largely unneeded roads as quickly as possible. This is nothing more than a cash grab to benefit the highway lobby and suburban real estate speculators. Then, when and if the projected toll revenues don't materialize (a very likely scenario, given the steadily increasing price of oil), they will simply default on the bonds, leaving taxpayers holding the bag. (See Southwest Parkway for an existing example.) The highway builders and real estate speculators walk away with billions leaving us to pay the bills while enjoying a considerably compromised environment and even more crappy, unsustainable land use. It is for this reason that the toll road plan must be opposed unequivocally and toll road supporters on the CAMPO board must be convinced to put an end to this nonsense by whatever means necessary. I don't think I've ever seen greater consensus in Austin on any other issue (i.e. opposition to toll roads), and yet this piece of sh*t is still in place. We're like the Czech Republic in 1969 realizing that "hey, I guess we're not a democracy after all" as the road-building equipment (as opposed to Russian tanks) comes rolling into town.
Patrick Goetz
[Mike Clark-Madison replies: Translation: Patrick doesn't like roads. Without a toll plan, the roads don't get built, at least not for a while, maybe not ever. Is that the issue on which the community is so united and the CAMPO board so out of step? I don't think so. If it were, I wouldn't be supporting this plan. I think, on the contrary – and maybe unfortunately, but that's a separate issue – that the majority of Austinites (let alone Central Texas) do support these road projects, regardless of how they feel about tolls.]