Newsletter:  4 Candidates Battle It Out Before Election Day In This Newsletter!
3_06_2006.htm

-Weekly Newsletter  For:
VOTE TOMORROW!

March 6th, 2006-

 
TONIGHT! Texas Tax Reformation Commission Public Hearing In San Antonio


“John Sharp will be in San Antonio on Monday, March 6, gathering recommendations from the public on reforming the state tax structure. The Texas Tax Reform Commission is comprised of a 24-member bi-partisan commission chaired by former Texas comptroller John Sharp. The purpose of this commission is to develop proposals which will modernize the state tax system, provide long-term property tax relief, and address financing needs for public schools.”    - J.B.

10:00 a.m. – San Antonio, Norma S. Rodriguez City Council Chamber, Municipal Plaza Building, 103 Main Plaza, San Antonio, Texas 78205
 

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY- TEXAS TAXPAYER SUMMIT, April 21, 2006
BREAKING NEWS: 20 PAID Scholarships from South Texas Republicans


We are pleased to announce that we are offering 20 paid scholarships to our friends in South Texas and the Hill Country. Our goal is to send a small delegation to Austin for this event. Please contact Schuylar Crist skyskyrider@hotmail.com if you are interested in attending. (We hope to increase this to 50 scholarships if we can raise the money in the next few weeks.)

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN HOTEL, AUSTIN, TEXAS

AGENDA

9:30 a.m. Opening Session
Keynote: Gov. Rick Perry

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Taxpayer Bill of Rights
Paul Bettencourt, Tax-Assessor Harris County
Dr. Barry Poulson, AFP Adjunct Scholar

12:00 p.m. Luncheon
Keynote: Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams

1:00-1:30 p.m.

Taxpayer Funded Lobbying
Peggy Venable, AFP-Texas Director
Stephen Wayne Smith, former Texas Supreme Court Justice
Interim Committee Chairman Rep. Ken Paxton

1:30-2:00 p.m.

Break-out Sessions (concurrent)
Session 1: Educrats’ Focus on Institutions, not Students: How to Break the Union and use it to the benefit of taxpayers - Steve Conroy, Nacogdoches
Session 2: Education Choice – Dr. Jim Leininger
Session 3: Crafting our Message – Radio Talk Show Personality Don Crawford

3:00-3:30 p.m.

Taxes and Spending
Talmadge Heflin, former House Appropriations Chairman
Dr. Byron Schlomach, Chief Economist, TPPF
Rep. Bill Keffer or Rep. Dan Gattis

4:30 -5:30 p.m.

Break-out Sessions (concurrent)
Session 1: State Board of Education and the Permanent School Fund – SBOE Chairman Tincy Miller or SBOE Member Terri Leo
Session 2: Rollback Elections – Doug Kirk, Comal County Roll-back Election Activist
Session 3: Markets Work – Insurance and Health Care – Pat Rooney, Founder of Golden Rule

5:30 p.m.

Reception
Keynote Speaker: Tom Craddick
Formal Presentation of the Defenders of the American Dream Awards to Texas Legislative Recipients

7:00 p.m.

Dinner
Keynote Speakers: Congressmen Joe Barton, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Sessions

Admission is $25 and is payable at the door, by phone/fax (credit card), or by mail (check)

Click here to register
 

Republican Business Women of Bexar County
 Host TINA BENKISER CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN PARTY of TEXAS


Thursday, March 9, 2006

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

315 East Pecan Street at Travis Park

 

10:30 a.m.      Silent Auction Preview

11:00 a.m.      Networking

11:30 a.m.      Guest Speaker: Tina Benkiser, Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

12:00 p.m.      Lunch

12:30 p.m.      Business Meeting

1:00 p.m.        Adjourn

For reservations, contact DEE BRAME at 210-493-5512 or deeb@satx.rr.com

The cost is $15.00
 

Readers Respond To Our Commentary: Senator John Cornyn For Vice-President In 2008


[http://www.southtexasrepublicans.com/newsletters/newsletter_template_02_27.htm]

Amazing!  I was sitting there listening to Senator Cornyn and thought to myself,  "He'd be a great President"!  Your strategy is superb.  Let's do it!!!!
Sandra Peters

______________________

I would be pleased if John Cornyn became the President in 2008. But second best would be great also. His deceased grand-mother was a friend of mine. I don't know John personally but believe him to be an honest and respectable man. I attended the same church as his mother in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. I know he was raised by a Christian family. I also am happy with the president we have now. I believe President Bush is also an honest man and is doing the best he can for our country. I believe some of the Democrats will grab at every opportunity to belittle any Republican Incumbent because they are frantic to gain control.

Ivy Ford

 _____________________

I believe that the 2008 Republican candidate for President should be Senator George Allen from Virginia and his running mate for Vice-President should be Texas Senator John Cornyn. These are two possible candidates that are not in anybody’s radar screen. I always say that the less you know about somebody, the better it is because there are no negatives to cancel out the positives. Hillary would be a poor candidate because her husband loaded her up with just too much baggage. She would never get elected because you cannot cancel out years of liberal agendas with a few months of posturing as a moderate. Rush Limbaugh was recently interviewed on one of the late night shows and when they asked him who he thought would be a good Republican presidential candidate, he replied, “George Allen.” Senator Allen must have solid conservative credentials if he passed the Rush test.

Allen has charisma, style, and good looks without being pretty. This should attract the female vote. His dad coached the Washington Redskins in the ‘70s so I can see Sen. Allen using a lot of sports terminology during his presidential campaign to capture the male vote big time. His political heroes are Thomas Jefferson and Ronald Reagan. He describes himself as a “common sense Jeffersonian Conservative” and says that he “trusts free people and free enterprise.”

Cornyn looked impressive during the Senate judicial committee hearings. I believe that the facts he brought out during the hearings helped confirm the two Bush appointees to the Supreme Court. He has not been in the Senate that long to pick up negatives and his experience as a former district and Texas Supreme Court judge should bring credibility and respectability to any Republican ticket. From Senator Cornyn’s website: He stands as a dedicated defender of free markets, traditional values, and individual liberty. 

In 1960, John F. Kennedy had charisma, style, and good looks. JFK was smart enough to bring in Texas Senator Lyndon B. Johnson to balance the fact that he was a Catholic from the liberal state of Massachusetts. The Kennedy/Johnson ticket had a steeper hill to climb in 1960 than would an Allen/Cornyn ticket in 2008. Both Allen and Cornyn are from the south and neither is a Catholic. This would be the dream Republican ticket in the presidential elections of 2008.

___________________________________

REED GREENE, M.P.A., J.D.
Attorney-At-Law
San Antonio, Texas 78209

February 28, 2006

Sen. John Cornyn

600 Navarro, Suite 210
San Antonio, Texas 78205

Re:  Vice-Presidential or Presidential Bid

Dear Senator,

One of the Party on-line periodicals indicated you are interested in higher national office, namely, Vice-President or President. I think you would do a fine job. Remember that I lived in New Hampshire for six years and my grandfather, Charles Rolland Greene, Sr., was from a community between Center Harbor and Moultonborough (sp?) still called Greenes’ corners. I would love to host a party in Hanover and/or Concord (four academic years residence and two, respectively), preferably before it turns as beastly cold as it gets there this time of year. My fraternity brothers at Sigma Alpha Epsilon may be willing to pitch in on your campaign, too. I’m sure my wife, Cecilia, would help in some fashion.

Please add me to your list:

 

            Reed Greene

            27513 Boerne Cliff Dr.

            Boerne, Texas 78006

            Cell 210.219.1632

I will be in Washington in early June and would like to drop by your office with my family. We would like to visit the Senate Chamber, the FBI, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and other tourist sites. We would appreciate any help and input your staff could give us.

With warmest personal regards, I remain,

Sincerely yours,

Reed Greene
 

 BREAKING NEWS: CORNYNFORPRESIDENT.COM & JOHNCORNYNFORPRESIDENT.COM Domain Names Purchased By Firm in Arizona Two Months Ago


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Commentary: Bloggers, it is time to go to work. Why is a firm in Arizona buying these domain names? Is there a connection between this firm and Senator John McCain? Please let us know.
 

South Texas Republicans’ Cornyn Commentary Featured in the San Antonio Express-News

The following comments by Susan Yerkes were featured last week.  

“Dame Rumor “ Web Posted: 03/01/2006 12:00 AM CST

Latest hot rumor from Joe Solis' online weekly newsletter, South Texas Republicans, PAC: "We predict Senator John Cornyn will be the leading contender for the position of Vice President in 2008."

And there's more: "It is our belief Senator John Cornyn will be a strong candidate for President AFTER he serves as Vice President," says the article, adding: "Running for President as a sitting Senator is a genuine waste of time based on recent history."

That should get some tongues wagging, even if the article stresses it's "opinion only" — no prompting from Cornyn's team. What do YOU think?

Susan Yerkes Article

Commentary by Joe: Susan, we promise, the Cornyn folks did not leak anything to us about this commentary. Only in our wildest dreams would the office of Senator John Cornyn allow our humble little PAC to plant this story about a run for the White House. Thanks for the indirect compliment though
 

Dan Montgomery and Ken Mercer Duke It Out This Week In South Texas Republicans  (State Board of Education Republican Primary Battle.)


(Commentary by Dan Montgomery about Allegations by Ken Mercer.)

First, Ken says I have consistently voted with liberal Democrats to defeat Bush/Perry education reforms. But he gives no examples because there are none. I've been a staunch supporter of these reforms that include raising the bar steadily as to student expectations on state tests, expanding alternative teacher certification programs, and strengthening curriculum requirements. Ken, on the other hand, as a legislator, co-authored a bill with a liberal democrat that would have destroyed the most important reform of all -- the "no social promotion" law. This alone should disqualify him as a Republican candidate for the SBOE.

Second, he tries to link me with an atheist group by quoting an individual who says I chose to vote the way the Atheists Community of Austin wanted me to. This is outrageous and even slanderous. Why would a member of this group be running against me if this were true?

Third, he accuses me of plagiarism for posting articles on my website several years ago that came from Texas Education Agency publications. But SBOE staff prepared these for members to use for the purpose of informing constituents. They are considered the property of the TEA and SBOE. 

Staff frequently writes speeches for members and expects no credits. This is the same as the President or Governor reading a speech written by staff speechwriters, or a legislator sending weekly columns to local newspapers that are written by staff.

Finally, he tells people to not be misled by the lies of his opponents. But he doesn't mention what these "lies" are because there are none.  Every thing I've said about Ken during the campaign can be documented. His other opponent hasn't campaigned at all.

www.danmontgomery.org
 

SBOE #5 Race: Ken Mercer vs. Montgomery “And now the Rest of the Story”

(Bexar County) Former State Representative Ken Mercer (R) today responded to false accusations by his State Board of Education (SBOE) opponent Dan Montgomery.

“First,” Ken Mercer began: “Mr. Montgomery asked for proof that he voted with the liberals. You can view Dan’s voting record at www.StrengthsandWeaknesses.org. The website documents EIGHT major votes where Dan voted against Conservatives and formed a voting block with liberal Democrats.” 

The section "SBOE Vote Detail" documents Montgomery voting down Conservative Republican Don McLeroy’s election to the SBOE Executive Committee and then voting for Helen Berlanga, a strong liberal Democrat.

Mercer asks: “What good is it to have a Republican Majority when Republicans consistently vote with the Democrats?”

Apparently Montgomery also allowed the Austin Atheists to testify at SBOE meetings. Then he voted against allowing testimony during the meeting of the national scientists with evidence opposing evolution.

Mercer then pointed to a second falsehood. Montgomery attacked Mercer at a Bexar County Forum for supporting HB337, a bill authored by a Pro-Life Democrat in the 2003 House Session  

Mercer stated: ”Yes, a Democrat filed the bill, but Montgomery fails to mention that five of my senior Republicans also signed on to the legislation.”

“Why? The Republican intent of the bill was to empower parents. A child who performs well in school but does not pass the State Exam may be held back a year. Under this legislation parents would have the right to request a formal alternative assessment.“

Mercer continued: “Republicans also wanted to empower parents to request an alternative means of education for a child who fails a grade. To Conservatives that means the alternatives of phonics or language immersion.”

But as Paul Harvey would say: Dan Montgomery failed to tell the ‘rest of the story’.

HB 337 never became law because it never came to the Texas House for a vote. Why? Because Mercer worked to kill the bill after Democrats loaded it with changes that were unacceptable to conservatives.

Why would Mercer work to kill a bill that he originally signed on to?

“Because it was the right thing to do. Our intent was to empower parents to help their children. Once in Committee, the Democrat intent was to amend the bill with their liberal doctrine. It had the same bill number, but a new liberal agenda. That’s why we killed the bill.”

Of course, Montgomery knows that. That’s why he fails to tell Republicans ‘the rest of the story.’”

Finally, on the live KSLR radio debate, Montgomery denied he plagiarized. Plagiarism is the copying of someone else’s work and then applying your name without giving proper credit. 

Mercer commented: “The renowned Texas Insider carried two articles with three counts of Dan’s plagiarism. Clearly, he copied the articles from the Texas Education Agency brochures, adds ‘by Dan Montgomery’, and then gave no credit to the actual authors.  When I went to college that was called plagiarism.”

Specifically, Mr. Montgomery's website states: "Since becoming a member of the State Board of Education in 2001, it has become obvious to me that very few of my constituents know much about the Board and what it really does. So I will attempt to explain, in this short column, our powers and responsibilities. [underline emphasis added]"

Ken Mercer concluded: "I wish Mr. Montgomery well, but facts are facts. Here is the most important fact. There are 101 conservative leaders who reviewed the records of the candidates. Each and every one of them chose to endorse Ken Mercer over Dan Montgomery."
 

Ken Mercer

Republican for State Board of Education

Friends of Ken Mercer P.O. Box 781301 San Antonio, Texas 78278-1301

www.VoteMercer.com
 

READERS RESPOND To The Following Commentary From Last Week: “Republican Minority Candidate College” by the Republican National Committee- TWO THUMBS DOWN


Commentary By Joe Solis/South Texas Republicans

 [http://southtexasrepublicans.com/newsletters/newsletter_template_02_27.htm]

Friends, many of you are going to write in and say I should be nicer to fellow Republicans after you read this commentary. Please think about the basic message in the following sentences. I received the letter below last week from the RNC. It is my belief that it is insulting, backwards and counter-productive for our party to label, identify and divide members of our party based on race, religion and skin color. The RNC has no business labeling any American in our national party as a “minority.” We are Americans first and foremost. 

Joe,

I’m with you on the labeling. I’ve long felt that by labeling us as the minority within the Republican Party we are left in limbo, perhaps even second-class. 

Let’s stop using the labels and roll up our sleeves side-by-side and tackle the “real” threats to our Union.

Maria Martinez

_______________

Joe

Even during these times of helping with the Major Werner campaign, I sometimes get a chance to read your newsletter, granted some of those times are a few days after I get it but this time it was different.  Joe, as a Black (yes Black) female, I have to agree with you because I am tired of "lip service as usual"; actually, this was one of the main reason why I joined the Major Werner campaign because he does not give "lip service" to those within my community. Until our Party comes to the "true" understanding of working to help ALL within the Party, without classifications, then we are going down a path that I refuse to go down. I mean how can we say that set asides are not right when we do such set asides ourselves? As a Black Female, I would wonder why I cannot go to the regular candidate school and why do I have to have a different candidate school? What message are you really sending me, wrong path, wrong path. Thanks, Joe, for taking the time to put us ALL together.

Sincerely

CJ Newman

P. S.  One of the problems that I see within our own Party is that folks are hired to help increase "minority" outreach and they have NO CLUE.  Maybe within my lifetime I will see the true meaning of Reagan's Big Tent. Thanks Joe, keep up the good work, two thumbs UP for you.
 

Michael S. Raign “Corrects A False Impression” by Wayne Christian. Christian “Fires” Back at Michael Raign. Only in South Texas Republicans! (These Are Candidates For Judge, County Court At Law Six, in Bexar County)


(Letter by Michael S. Raign)

Joe:

I'm writing to correct a false impression created by my opponent in the South Texas Republican newsletter.

 [http://southtexasrepublicans.com/newsletters/newsletter_template_02_27.htm]

Wayne Christian claims certain endorsements that he received in 1998. This is blatantly misleading, as I was not his opponent eight years ago and he is not now endorsed by the Bexar County Deputy Sheriff's Association, nor the San Antonio Express News. Instead, four years ago, the Express News called Wayne Christian "a lackluster and cavalier jurist, undeserving of re-election." This year, they wrote, "Christian, who was a county judge for six years, was ousted by voters in 2002. Voters made the right decision when they removed the cavalier Christian from the bench."  (emphasis added).

However, the Express News gave a resounding endorsement to Michael Raign, stating that "he will be a competent, fair umpire on the bench."  (see Express-News Endorsement Article). Interested voters are invited to visit my website at www.raignforjudge.com.

(Response by WAYNE A. CHRISTIAN

 Dear South Texas Republicans:

Apparently, my opponent is concerned that my Judicial history's reference to my past political endorsements in prior election years is confusing for the readership.

In 1998, I was endorsed by the San Antonio Police Officers' Association, the Bexar County Deputy Sheriff's Law Enforcement Organization, and the San Antonio Express- News, which stated, "Christian runs his court in exemplary fashion, with plenty of common sense and fairness and no bull!"

I am the only candidate in the current 2006 race, Republican or Democrat, endorsed by the San Antonio Police Officers' Association. Should readers have any further questions on this, or any other issues involved in my campaign, please do not hesitate to contact me.

                             Sincerely,

                             Wayne A. Christian

      

1800 McCULLOUGH AVENUE

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78212

(210) 271-3888

(210) 271-3980 FAX

lawofficeswac@aol.com
 

Message From Ted Kenyon, Candidate For State Representative District 117


In the full course of my career I've enforced and defended the law as a Deputy Sheriff and upheld the law as an attorney. 

These jobs appealed to me because they meant more than just earning a living. Sure there were laws I didn't want to enforce, but I had given my word to uphold the law, but with continued support, come November, I will get the chance to help write new ones.

The idea of justice is very important to me – so important that I've spent 19 years (and counting) of my career in the law field.

Justice ends abuses and stops those who would promote wrongdoing. A major reason why I'm running for office is to stop unjust situations in Texas.

I believe it is unjust when Austin's tax-hikes hurt fixed-budget seniors and struggling families.

I think it is unjust when medical doctors have their practices dragged through sometimes frivolous lawsuits – skyrocketing insurance premiums – MAKING Health Care for the Texans LESS affordable.

It's unjust when we have teachers forced to teach a TEST instead of teaching academic subjects. It is unjust when school administrations measure the success of a semester in terms of how many books students go through rather than how many books GET THROUGH TO STUDENTS!

I have to say, its time to see some action on these matters. And with your contribution and support we've come closer to ending these unjust situations.

Thank you very much, and I hope you can join me in my stand for justice.

http://www.texansforted.org/index.htm
 

Vote Yes On ALL 4 Ballot Propositions: By The Honorable Paul Bettencourt

Republicans all across Texas have the chance to cast their votes for four excellent Ballot Propositions during the Tuesday, March 7th Primary Election. These four non-binding ballot propositions were proposed by State Republican Party Chair, Tina Benkiser, and I had the chance to testify for them in committee before the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) Members approved each one unanimously.

My reasoning, like the chairs', was it was high time to get the Republican Party back to basic grassroots concepts like stopping voter fraud, protecting your property from governmental seizures for economic gain only, slowing the growth of all governmental revenues that are going up twice as fast as needed across the state, and keeping homeowners taxes from literally "going through the roof" across the State of Texas!

Prop 1 calls for a "Photo ID" to vote in any Texas election. Prop 2 provides "Private Property Protection" against the terrible Supreme Court ruling last year allowing purely economic based seizures of private property, your home for example! Prop 3 sets a "Spending Cap" limit on all government's ability to ask for more revenue to the sum of their district's yearly population growth and the area's inflation rate, and Prop 4 lowers the existing "Appraisal Cap" from 10% to 5% saving Texas Homeowners hundreds of dollars a year even if property tax rates stay the same from year to year.

As you can tell, these four non-binding Ballot Propositions deserve your vote, as they will tell every Republican Elected Official from the Red River to the Rio Grande how you feel about each issue as a member of the Texas Majority Party! Don't miss a Grand Old Party opportunity by joining your "Taxman" and Voting Yes on all these Ballot Propositions March the 7th.  Vote Conservative, Vote "Yes" on Props 1 thru 4!

 

Paul Bettencourt is Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and was a delegate to the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. 

 Source:  AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY - AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY FOUNDATION
807 BRAZOS #210 - AUSTIN, TX 78701 - 512-476-5905 - www.afptx.org

 

"The Republicrat" (A Moderate Viewpoint)

This is a new series by an anonymous political insider in Bexar County. The views of this author do not represent the views of South Texas Republicans. 

Early voting has gloriously come to an end and now we await tomorrow’s verdict. Based on projections it will be early Wednesday morning before we know the final outcome and Wednesday’s headlines will tell the tale.

Hopefully, with a better than average voter turnout on the Southside, we await to see if Election Day predictions will produce similar results and ones to our liking.

The accusations will begin to subside, although numerous candidates are thin-skinned and take everything very personal. Some “losers” will blame everybody but themselves, rationalize their defeat, and continue their irrational behavior.

Be assured that Party Chair candidate Dan Ramos will continue his irrational behavior even after he loses. Odds are still 3-1 he cries like a baby when the results are in. Now that we know that Ramos and his henchmen will not adversely affect the Democratic Primary, we can hopefully rest a little easier, for now. Our next goal should be to ensure that Party Chair Rudy Casias quietly fades into the sunset.

The Republicrat stands by all Primary predictions. The Express-News concurred on all but one with their endorsements. Their failure to endorse County Court Judge Oscar Kazen, however, is a blemish on their record.

Recapping the Republicrat’s projected winners in the first round: Carlos Uresti for State Senator, District 19; Linda Penn for JP, Pct. 4; Peter Sakai for 225th District Judge; Congressman Henry Cuellar for Congressional District 28; Commissioner Paul Elizondo for Pct. 2; Joe Farias for State Rep. 118th and all the unopposed, still unopposed! 

An all points bulletin is still in effect for judicial candidate Milton Fagin, County Court-at-law Paul Canales, County Clerk candidate Tim Ybarra and judicial candidate Gloria Saldana. Seriously, nobody has seen them at any function since they filed. If anyone has spotted them, please call 1-800-who-cares!

Since it is a real slow week and not too much to report on the primary, (is it over yet?)  In other Democratic political news, the rhetoric on the controversy on the Elena Guajardo incident continues to escalate. The man who blames Guajardo for his friend’s death is demanding that Guajardo resign or face a recall. Nearly three hundred of her closest friends and/or constituents rallied at City Hall to defend her reputation, Thursday before last.

From neighborhood associations to gay activists and a Balcones Heights City Councilman, they spoke during “Citizen’s To Be Heard.” During the nearly two-hour session, only three speakers openly attacked the Councilwoman to include the perennial City Hall gadfly, Jack Finger.

Finger was roundly booed when he accused Guajardo of promoting a gay agenda. Steve Walker, the Balcones Heights Councilman in turn attacked Finger for attacking Guajardo. Apparently Walker has his own set of problems sending out an offensive email attacking the man who is trying to force Guajardo out of office.

His email was posted on the right-wing Internet newsletter, the SA Lightning. Rather than defend his e-mail, Walker caved in and publicly apologized on the conservative talk show hosted by Carl Wiglesworth.

Unlike the elected officials or politicians who are never seen, Walker shows up to every political event in the city, with or without an invitation. He has been spotted on the Southside, Westside and Eastside.

The only place where Walker is never seen is Balcones Heights. Maybe he should spend more time in his own city and not have to apologize for writing offensive e-mails. And what about those combat boots he wears to political functions? Can’t he afford a decent pair of shoes?    

That’s the moderate viewpoint. I AM the Republicrat.

 

Advertising Opportunities In SCENE IN SA MONTHLY

SCENE IN SA MONTHLY is a great way for candidates in the upcoming general election to reach voters who actually vote! A general interest consumer magazine that covers a wide range of subjects from politics and local crime stories, to business and the arts, SCENE MONTHLY appeals to affluent and influential readers. Our editorial approach builds and holds readers, and these readers will see your ad. Our controlled and paid circulation of 14,000 of the highest income households in San Antonio, combined with newsstand sales, which over the last 18 months have gone up 800 percent, guarantee that the right people will see your ad. During this campaign season, consider advertising and subscribing to SCENE MONTHLY. Contact adsales@scenepublications.com or kskaug@scenepublications.com. You may also call 210-828-4209.
 
Toll Roads vs. Selective Use of Road Tolls: The Difference is a Leadership Opportunity

John Merrifield

UTSA Professor of Economics

Director, Entrepreneurial Conservatism Institute

February 27, 2006

Putting ‘toll’ next to ‘road’ will make a lot of people see ‘red,’ and I don’t mean ‘red’ state. They envision monopolies, double taxation, and toll booths. But the resulting energetic resistance to all combinations of ‘toll’ and ‘road’ needs to be tamed. The alternative is higher taxes and or bigger traffic jams and associated high delay, fuel, pollution, and maintenance costs; something leaders work to avoid.

Toll Roads - lanes with a 24/7 user fee in addition to the gas tax you pay for driving anywhere - are not the answer to our highway capacity issues. Until traffic is real bad, people will squeeze into the free lanes. That increases the size of the toll needed to pay for the rarely used toll lanes. The efficient approach is just one set of lanes with a toll levied only on congested road segments – all lanes - during high traffic periods. 

The key economic principle is that wise use results from pricing that reflects what something costs. People that drive during high traffic periods do not pay the cost of slowing other people down. So, a toll should exist for only a few road segments and only during high traffic periods. Such tolls reduce high traffic period road use. Only the people that benefit pay for additional highway capacity.

Until congestion begins to impose delay costs, there should be no tolls. Gasoline taxes should pay for enough capacity to handle off-peak traffic. The toll would finance additional lanes to ease peak traffic, and reduce peak demand.

The alternatives to that version of tolling are very costly. We'd have to choose between frequent, huge congestion delays and related costs cited above (the status quo), paying gasoline tax to drive on roads fully financed by 24/7 tolls (the pro-toll road position) or sit in congested 'free lanes' (e.g. Houston), or suffer a massive tax increase to pay for enough road capacity to avoid rush hour congestion (the toll road opponent position). Selective road tolls are superior. Congestion is reduced for everyone (no jammed ‘free’ lanes), while less is spent on construction. Empirical studies have shown that peak period, congestion tolling yields enormous benefits in the form of reduced travel times, less auto maintenance, fewer accidents, and reduced pollution.
 

Vote To Keep Our Freeways FREE-By Terri Hall Of The Texas Toll Party


 

 

Our chance to begin voting on the toll issue is March 7 election day!

Not only do you need to know who voted to toll you and vote against them, but also to vote on the resolutions at the end of the Republican ballot in favor of spending and appraisal caps, and, most importantly, preventing the taking of our PRIVATE PROPERTY and turning it over to private interests for commercial gain which is already happening on the toll roads (see details below). See our cross-partisan endorsement list here: http://satollparty.com/post/?p=116.

Also, get a resolution to keep our FREEways FREE in our Party platform by downloading these resolutions and bringing them with you to your PRECINCT CONVENTION after the polls close on March 7: http://satollparty.com/post/?p=140.

 

FOREIGN MANAGEMENT OF OUR HIGHWAYS LIKE THE PORT DEAL!

With debate swirling over the foreign management of our public ports still in the headlines, many find that the Governor-appointed Transportation Commission’s advocacy for foreign management of our publicly owned highways is virtually the same as the highly unpopular Dubai port deal being blocked by Congress (See Rasmussen poll that shows 83% of Americans against it)

“Sounds like we’re giving control of our country over to foreign entities,” says a concerned citizen Ron Schmacher. “It’s almost like we don’t want to solve our own problems and we’re throwing our hands up and letting foreign companies do the job for us.”

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the Governor’s Transportation Commission is promoting the same foreign management of public infrastructure as the President. Instead of ports, it’s highways,” contends Terri Hall Regional Director of San Antonio Toll Party.com, a non-partisan grassroots group of citizens promoting non-toll, good government transportation solutions.

On January 17, the Transportation Commission held an industry workshop promoting the use of public-private partnerships called CDAs (See TxDOT’s web site with workshop info). Last June, the Transportation Commission left the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority out of their decision to open up the San Antonio toll starter system to bid as a CDA (Express-News story on it.).

Two foreign companies, Spanish-based Cintra and Australian-based Macquarie 1604 Partnership, are bidding to build the toll starter system in San Antonio (See Express-News article). Cintra has already landed the first such deal in Texas for the TTC I-35 project (Houston Chronicle article here).

We’re not going to be able to bring our complaints to Madrid, Spain, if don’t like the tolls or their actions. The deal will already be signed before we can see it; then whom will we complain to? We’ll have federally-funded highways that the federal government nor state government will be in charge of, ” Bob McKechnie, resident who lives near the first planned toll project.

The foreign management and the secrecy surrounding these projects are what taps the nerve of most Texans, and due to the national coverage of the Dubai port deal, the opposition to foreign management of our highway infrastructure is building, too.

It’s a canker and it’s spreading. Not just in Texas, Indiana announced Cintra-Macquarie as the preferred bidder for a $3.85 billion public-private partnership (USA Today article here) and Cintra recently purchased the Chicago Skyway (See Toll Road News). It’s by design that they’re now trying to takeover the Indiana toll road that feeds into the Skyway,” states Hall. “My question to my fellow Texans is this: Are we going to lose control of the infrastructure in our own country or are we going to see to it that our government doesn’t sell Texas and America to the highest bidder?

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