Who Is Looking Out for the People?

Dear Editor,
    The formation of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, as a new toll road authority in Central Texas, causes Travis County to commit the full faith and credit to the RMA bonds, obligating Travis County to raise taxes to pay for the bonds if the toll fees do not cover the cost of the bonds.
    The RMA will sell its first bonds within days. The toll plan in Central Texas is unpopular because so many of the roads in the plan already are fully funded by taxpayer dollars. Hence, the tolls constitute a double tax. The sale of the bonds will "marry" Travis and Williamson counties under an RMA that is mostly run by Williamson County representatives.
    Why would the Travis County Commissioners Court allow Travis County citizens to bear the burden of paying for maintenance, tolls, and possibly higher taxes for roads the state is already responsible for?
    Who is looking out for the interests of the people of Travis County? Certainly not the Travis County Commissioners Court. Legislators and the people of Texas need to speak out on this issue.