The Texas House has just opted not to get rid of the five-member Texas Transportation Commission, and replace it with a single, statewide elected transportation commissioner.
The effort by state Rep. Ruth McClendon, D-San Antonio, was tabled by a vote of 108-18. Her effort was an amendment to the bill that came out of the Texas Department of Transportation sunset review process.
The House is about an hour into what promises to be a long debate over the sunset bill for the oft-criticized Texas Department of Transportation. The sunset committee recommended only minor changes and gave the agency a four-year repreive before the next sunset review, but state lawmakers are turning the debate over the bill into an omnibus transportation discussion including everything from toll roads to comprehensive development agreements to -- ugh! -- the Trans Texas Corridor.
-- Gordon Dickson, gdickson@star-telegram.com
Twitter: @gdickson
I remember when only the Soviet Union had Tzars or Czars and we hated all of them. They had all kinds of Czars and very few cars; while we had way too many cars and very little public transportation. We also hate public transportation because it allows poor people access to monied areas and everyone using public transportation must be traveling more or less in the same direction. Americans, especially the Texan variety, like to at least delude themselves that they are maverics going their own way.
Posted by: mellindainfortworth@gmail.com | April 29, 2011 at 03:50 PM
I spent the greatest part of my life in Tx. It's a state I dearly love but has one major problem. Every person in Tx. who is the sole head or boss gets power hungary. One man or Czar.in control in transportation would be corrupt in a year. Hey just the way of office holders in Tx. Not knocking anyone just the way we are. Look at the transportation commission you have now and then think what one man could do. Be on the way to become another "Duke of Paducah"
Posted by: Bobby(YOYO)Morgan | April 29, 2011 at 07:13 PM
The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. - H.L. Mencken
Posted by: Chris McPhail | April 29, 2011 at 10:15 PM
We don't need no more stinkin elected officials. Private corporations can handle public policy just fine. This is the future and it's none of your business.
Posted by: Tea Party Proud | May 01, 2011 at 11:26 AM
http://philfriendsters.com/blog/view/id_42645/title_Road-Angel/
Posted by: News | May 12, 2011 at 01:16 AM