NOTE: This information was taken from the San Antonio Toll Party's website which is dedicated to educating & informing citizens and organizing citizen action. The SA group is battling the developments in progress in Texas government to "make policy" without benefit of public consideration, approval, or assessed need. LINK: www.satollparty.com
Glossary of Toll Terms
CDA – Comprehensive Development Agreement, public –private partnerships that amount to selling ownership of our public assets to private, even foreign, companies for up to 50 years (and longer based on the Texas Transportation Commission's December agenda). Private companies negotiate for the control of toll rates and the non-toll lanes(to slow speed limits or increase time at traffic signals) to ensure they make enough profit from the toll roads. It isn’t enough for these highway interests to just bid to build the roads, now they want to control them and exclusively profit off of the taxpayers for up to 50 years per contract WITHOUT COMPETITION!
Cintra – A Spanish-based consortium who was awarded the first leg of the Trans Texas Corridor that parallels I-35 and the bid to build the San Antonio toll starter system on 281 and Loop 1604. Partners with Zachry. Cintra recently purchased a Houston-based construction company, Webber Group, in order to appear more “American” for future highway bids.
Macquarie 1604 Partnership - Second company to throw hat in the ring to bid to build our toll starter system. They apparently have partnered with Cintra in the past on the Ontario Toll Project disaster up in Canada. Read about their standard operating procedures using secret public-private partnerships like Cintra to gain a monopoly on our public highways for up to 99 years here.
MPO – Metropolitan Planning Organization - established by the federal government to guide where federal gas tax dollars get allocated locally. The Federal Transportation Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and its predecessor [Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA)], established the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for San Antonio-Bexar County. TEA-21 states that the MPO should have local elected officials, representatives of major transit authorities, airports, rail and ports and appropriate state officials.
Pass Through Financing - Also known as shadow tolling in the toll road industry. A local entity, like a city and/or county, pays for the road project and the Department of Transportation pays the local entities back based on the number of cars that “pass through” equipment which counts the number of cars (basically like tolling). The problem with this approach is that local gvernment has to use its tax money, like property tax, to pay for improvements to STATE highways. We already pay numerous fees for highways, not the least of which is the gas tax. This is another way the State is abdicating its role and responsibility to build and maintain our State highways.
Prop 15 - Mobility Fund/Toll Equity Act of 2001 that appeared on the November 6, 2001 ballot: “The constitutional amendment creating the Texas Mobility Fund and authorizing grants and loans of money and issuance of obligations for financing the construction, reconstruction, acquisition, operation, and expansion of state highways, turnpikes, toll roads, toll bridges, and other mobility projects.” The voters passed this with 67% of the vote, and it was sold to them as allowing TxDOT to borrow future gas tax revenues in order to speed up highway projects (versus simply pay as you go funding). Nowhere is a toll only mandate mentioned in that proposition.
Prop 1- PASSED Nov 8, 2005 - Prop 1 passed on November 8. We need to be alert and watching the Legislature for selling bonds to subsidize profitable private rail companies at our expense. The Prop 1 rail fund was the same voter trick as Prop 15 from 2001, except this time it’s about the public subsidizing rail.Prop 1 allows an open ended corporate subsidy. Taxpayers will pay unlimited tax dollars to move private corporation rail lines into the Trans Texas Corridor after Gov. Perry promised no public funds would be used.The state DEBT commitment would also be open-ended, with no limit on the amount of state bonds that could be issued from this new fund. By amending the Constitution to authorize the creation of this fund, the state will commit itself to massive debt for generations. Private corporations will profit from this taxpayer giveaway that help the controversial Trans Texas Corridor move forward. See TxDOT’s own admission that their rail plan includes the Trans Texas Corridor (see page 3 of actual document, page 7 of PDF).The railroad industry no longer is state-regulated, and state government should not involve itself in that industry’s investment decisions.__The ballot language does not advise the voter of the that it’s a special interest fund that the taxpayer pays for and private corporations profit from. It is a blank check and unlimited debt. We’ll be monitoring this in the Legislature!
Prop 9 - DEFEATED on Nov 8 ballot - Proposition 9 would have allowed unelected, unaccountable Tolling Authority board members to have extended term limits. Current 2 year term limits would have expanded to 6 years for Regional Mobility Authorities. These appointed people are allowed to privatize and toll our freeways - they will set the toll rates for roads we’ve already paid for.A two-year term of office requires more frequent assessments of the board members job performance. Six-year terms are not necessary to carry out the functions of the authority since the staff or employees of an authority would do so regardless of the length of the directors’ terms.Comptroller of Texas has reported the RMAs create “Double taxation without accountability”, and that the RMA’s loose management practices cost all Texans more. NOT surprisingly, Comptroller also found favoritism and self-enrichment as board members gave contracts (without bids) to their friends and their own companies. RMA boards will now be required to abide by the standard provided in the Constitution that limits the terms of members of such boards to two years.
RMA – Regional Mobility Authorities, unelected mini-TxDOT’s established by the Legislature in HB 3588. Each county commissioner appoints one member, the county judge appoints 3 members, and the Governor appoints the Chair. The essentially manage toll projects, collect tolls, and arrange for the sale of bonds for road projects.
HB 3588 passed in the 2003 legislative session - Law that established the Trans Texas Corridor, proliferation of toll roads, RMAs, and the transfer of highway funds from the general revenue fund into a mobility fund that TxDOT can allocate at will for useless things like “reviewing” a private contract (or CDA) for a year. The Alamo RMA took advantage of these funds to do just that to the tune of $1 million! So much for tolls speeding up highway projects!
HB 2702 Omnibus Highway Bill from 2005 legislative session - Elected officials hide behind this saying, “it prohibits the conversion of existing highways into tollways without a vote of the people.” But it has so many loopholes, it’s useless against highway robbery, and, in fact, empowers the Transportation Commission with sole discretion over converting existing highways into tollways.
Zachry American Infrastructure – San Antonio-based construction company who was awarded the first leg of the Trans Texas Corridor that parallels I-35 and the bid to build the San Antonio toll starter system on 281 and Loop 1604. Partners with Cintra.
Portion of HB 2702
that addresses converting existing highways into
toll roads –
SECTION 2.36.
Chapter 228, Transportation Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter E to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER E. LIMITATION ON
TOLL FACILITY DETERMINATION; CONVERSION OF NONTOLLED STATE
HIGHWAY Sec. 228.201. LIMITATION ON TOLL FACILITY
DESIGNATION. Except as provided by Section 228.2015, the
department may not operate a nontolled state highway or a
segment of a nontolled state highway as a toll project, and
may not transfer a highway or segment to another entity for
operation as a toll project, unless: (1) the commission by
order designated the highway or segment as a toll project
before the contract to construct the highway or segment was
awarded; (2) the highway or segment was open to traffic as a
turnpike project on or before September 1, 2005; (3) the
project was designated as a toll project in a plan or
program of a metropolitan planning organization on or before
September 1, 2005; (4) the highway or segment is
reconstructed so that the number of nontolled lanes on the
highway or segment is greater than or equal to the number in
existence before the reconstruction; (5) a facility is
constructed adjacent to the highway or segment so that the
number of nontolled lanes on the converted highway or
segment and the adjacent facility together is greater than
or equal to the number in existence on the converted highway
or segment before the conversion; or (6) the commission
converts the highway or segment to a toll facility by: (A)
making the determination required by Section 228.202; (B)
conducting the hearing required by Section 228.203; and (C)
obtaining county and voter approval as required by Sections
228.207 and 228.208. Sec. 228.2015. LIMITATION TRANSITION.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 228.201, the department may
operate a nontolled state highway or a segment of a
nontolled state highway as a toll project if: (1) a
construction contract was awarded for the highway or segment
before September 1, 2005; (2) the highway or segment had not
at any time before September 1, 2005, been open to traffic;
and (3) the commission designated the highway or segment as
a toll project before the earlier of: (A) the date the
highway or segment is opened to traffic; or (B) September 1,
2005. (b) This section expires September 1, 2006. SECTION
2.37. Section 362.0041, Transportation Code, is transferred
to Subchapter E, Chapter 228, Transportation Code,
redesignated as Sections 228.202-228.208, and amended to
read as follows: Sec. 228.202 [362.0041 ]. COMMISSION
DETERMINATION [CONVERSION OF PROJECTS ]. The [(a) Except as
provided in Subsections (d) and (g), the ] commission may by
order convert a nontolled state highway or a segment of a
nontolled state highway [the free state highway system ] to
a toll project [facility ] if it determines that the
conversion will improve overall mobility in the region or is
the most feasible and economic means to accomplish necessary
expansion, improvements, or extensions to that segment of
the state highway system. Sec. 228.203. PUBLIC HEARING. [(b)
] Prior to converting a state highway or a segment of a[the
] state highway [ system ] under this subchapter [section ],
the commission shall conduct a public hearing for the
purpose of receiving comments from interested persons
concerning the proposed conversion [transfer ]. Notice of
the hearing shall be published in the Texas Register, one or
more newspapers of general circulation, and a newspaper, if
any, published in the county or counties in which the
involved highway is located. Sec. 228.204. RULES. [(c) ] The
commission shall adopt rules implementing this subchapter
[section ], including criteria and guidelines for the
approval of a conversion of a highway. Sec. 228.205. QUEEN
ISABELLA CAUSEWAY. [(d) ] The commission may not convert the
Queen Isabella Causeway in Cameron County to a toll project
[facility ]. Sec. 228.206. TOLL REVENUE. [(e) Subchapter G,
Chapter 361, applies to a highway converted to a toll
facility under this section. [(f) ] Toll revenue collected
under this section:
(1) shall be deposited in the state highway fund;
(2) may be used by the department to finance the
improvement, extension, expansion, or operation of the
converted segment of highway and may not be collected except
for those purposes; and (3) is exempt from the application
of Section 403.095, Government Code. Sec. 228.207. COUNTY
AND VOTER APPROVAL. [(g) ] The commission may only convert a
state highway or a segment of a[the ] state highway [ system
] under this subchapter [section ] if the conversion is
approved by : (1) the commissioners court of each county
within which the highway or segment is located ; and (2) the
qualified voters who vote in an election under Section
228.208 and who reside in the limits of: (A) a county if any
part of the highway or segment to be converted is located in
an unincorporated area of the county; or (B) a municipality
in which the highway or segment to be converted is wholly
located .Sec. 228.208. ELECTION TO APPROVE CONVERSION. (a)
If notified by the department of the proposed conversion of
a highway or segment under this subchapter, and after
approval of the conversion by the appropriate commissioners
courts as required by Section 228.207(1), the commissioners
court of each county described by Section 228.207(2)(A) or
the governing body of a municipality described by Section
228.207(2)(B), as applicable, shall call an election for the
approval or disapproval of the conversion. (b) If a county
or municipality orders an election, the county or
municipality shall publish notice of the election in a
newspaper of general circulation published in the county or
municipality at least once each week for three consecutive
weeks, with the first publication occurring at least 21 days
before the date of the election. (c) An order or resolution
ordering an election and the election notice required by
Subsection (b) must show, in addition to the requirements of
the Election Code, the location of each polling place and
the hours that the polls will be open. (d) The proposition
submitted in the election must distinctly state the highway
or segment proposed to be converted and the limits of that
highway or segment. (e) At an election ordered under this
section, the ballots shall be printed to permit voting for
or against the proposition: “The conversion of (highway)
from (beginning location) to (ending location) to a toll
project.” (f) A proposed conversion is approved only if it
is approved by a majority of the votes cast. (g) A notice of
the election and a certified copy of the order canvassing
the election results shall be sent to the commission.




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INFO LINK:
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