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Carona in a 'Ted Houghton' moment...
"...your small organization doesn't represent the views of all Texans"
First we get called bigots by a Transportation Commissioner, (remember Ted Houghton calling us all "bigots"? View it here), now the Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Carona hurls belittling comments at TURF's Founder, Terri Hall!
Carona has officially become the 'Mike Krusee' of the Senate!
Mike Krusee used to Chair the House Transportation Committee and authored the NIGHTMARE bill, HB 3588 in 2003, that gave us tolls on existing roads, the Trans Texas Corridor, RMAs, payments to losing bidders on toll contracts, and the sale of our highways to foreign-owned toll operators! Krusee carried Governor Perry's water and BLOCKED any GOOD transportation bills from 2003-2007.
It's safe to say, John Carona has become the 'Mike Krusee' of the Senate. Just last session, Carona, criticizing Krusee, asked for our help to wake-up the Legislature and to turn out record numbers for what became the biggest committee hearing since redistricting, with 800+ people filling the auditorium at the Capitol plus two overflow rooms. My, how things change...give someone a gavel and watch out!
We beg to differ with John Carona - 100,000 Texans mobilized in a grassroots, all-volunteer organization is no "small" endeavor. While no one represents the views of ALL Texans, we're confident we reflect the views of the MAJORITY of Texans. For instance, a Lyceum poll from last summer showed 69% of Texans OPPOSE tolls on existing freeways, and of that number, 53% STRONGLY oppose tolls on existing freeways.
Politicians from every corner of the state wouldn't be saying the Trans Texas Corridor is "dead" unless the majority of Texans opposed it. Plus, over 40,000 Texans went on the record against the two Trans Texas Corridor segments that had hearings (TTC-35/TTC-69)...In contrast, those who testified in favor were those who would personally benefit from the projects: road contractors, Chamber of Commerce types, and politicians. The same folks were the only ones in favor of status quo at TxDOT at today's hearing.
Carona didn't want a little thing like citizen input to interrupt the TxDOT lovefest at today's Senate Transportation Committee hearing on the TxDOT Sunset bill, HB 1019. The public was only allowed to give 2 minute's worth of comments on a 300 page bill. Carona immediately interrupted TURF Founder, Terri Hall, when she stated the public doesn't think a few improvements to TxDOT's web site constitutes "reform" of a rogue agency guilty of a billion-dollar accounting error, a rigged environmental study, an illegal ad campaign, and of calling TURF and its supporters "bigots" for opposing the sale of our highways to the highest bidder.
Politicians haven't gotten the message (even after last week's Tea Parties) that Texans are FED-UP with out of control government, runaway taxation, and unresponsive (and even disrespectful) politicians. They continue to show nothing but contempt for anyone who disagrees with them and for the taxpayers paying the bills.
Tell Carona what you think...
If you care to, share your thoughts (respectfully, please) with Chairman Carona here: