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TxDOT uses Transportation Forum as lobby-fest for more money
By Terri Hall
February 16, 2012
Examiner.com
Today, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) completed the first full day of the 7th Annual Texas Transportation Forum. Over 1,200 members of the transportation industry gathered in San Antonio at the Grand Hyatt to talk about “Going Places” -- except the places TxDOT directed them to go included a full-throttle “How-to” session on how to lobby for higher taxes. TxDOT trotted out two lobbyists -- one from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce, Robert Latham, and the other, Douglas Whitley, from Illinois that represents a lobby group of road builders and transportation advocates.
The speakers laid out a step-by-step playbook of how these two groups successfully lobbied elected officials for tax hikes and how Texas lobbyists could do it, too. Whitley gave a history that explained lobbyists only came together every 5-6 years initially when major pieces of legislation were being deliberated, but then decided they needed to become full-time “third party advocates” and formed his group to ensure they had ongoing relationships with elected officials so they could call in their favors when needed. He gloated: “If we hadn’t of been there, we wouldn’t have gotten a toll hike.” Wow, thanks.
Whitley suggested lobbyists raise money for candidates, host fundraisers, and give them awards. All of which the Texas road lobby does routinely already. In fact, TxDOT gets in on the action. It doles out “Road Hand” Awards to all their good little soldiers, handing out 5 more today -- including a lobbyist and an elected official that both lobbied for the Trans Texas Corridor TTC-69. So much for TxDOT learning from its failures.
Jealous of the success of the public education lobby, Latham described how his group conducted “research” (in reality it was polling) designed to copy their messaging. He taught attendees how to “brand” and “sell” tax hikes to the public by tapping the same emotions as public education lobbyists -- where you frame the tax hike with “it’s for the children” (ie - pay a toll to get home to your family quicker).
One huge problem with that propaganda -- it doesn’t hold water for most families. Hiking transportation costs actually takes people away from their families MORE since they would now have to work longer and harder to make the same money.
Latham described how his Chamber of Commerce enjoyed great support from his newspaper’s editorial board when they sought “funding” (ie - tax hikes -- just like the Express-News editorial board cow-tows to the industry instead of considering the tax burden on we the people).
When a Dallas toll authority member asked how Whitley kept all the competing agendas of road versus transit lobbyists working in unison, he answered: “They know everyone’s got a chance to be in the barrel and get their shot at the funding. We come to the defense of one another and protect each other’s pots of money.” In other words, everyone gets their bite at the proverbial taxpayer ‘apple.’
To top it all off, this lobby free-for-all was moderated by none other than Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (ARMA - Bexar County toll authority) Board Member Jim Reed.
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What's that song?
Money, money, money, money....M-O-N-E-Y
The theme of the day was how to manipulate the public into parting with more of their money. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff opened up the forum highlighting the county's many transportation-related expenditures, including the downtown street car plan that raids $96 million in road funds.
He went on say that we're getting ready for a little 'controversy' in 2013 when we add tolls to Loop 1604. He notably left out any mention of tolls on US 281 -- a hotbed of controversy and litigation over TxDOT and the Alamo RMA's attempt to slap tolls on existing FREE lanes. Hmmm, was that an oversight, a sign that they're backing off, or a well-placed dodge. I asked Judge Wolff what he meant by it, and he just said "I'm not touching that one (US 281)." (Still not much clarity, does he mean not touching it with tolls or is he evading the issue?)
House Transportation Committee member State Representative Drew Darby wants a $50 hike in vehicle registration fees. What for? To use the tax hike to end gas tax diversions. You read that correctly, they wish to raise a tax in order to plug the hole the legislature created in the gas tax fund (which is supposed to be Constitutionally dedicated to roads, but lawmakers habitually raid it for non-road uses).
TxDOT Assistant Executive Director of Engineering John Barton followed Darby's remarks and quipped: "I'm not allowed to advocate, but I'm in for $50." So let me translate: "I'm not allowed to lobby, but I'm going to anyway by lobbying for a $50 registration fee hike on the taxpayer dime"?
With such taxpayer-funded lobbying in plain sight, imagine what these people do behind closed doors in their smoke-filled rooms! And there’s still one day left...imagine the possibilities.
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