The city of Laredo is about to authorize the city manager to get the ball rolling on putting together a Regional Mobile Authority that would include the city and Webb county. RMA's, as they are usually referred to, have been allowed in the Lone Star State since 2001. Here's some basic info:
Under Chapter 370 of the Texas Statutes, a Regional Mobility Authority can be formed by one or more counties. The Texas Legislature first authorized the creation of Regional Mobility Authorities in 2001 with passage of Senate Bill 342. A subsequent constitutional amendment was approved by Texas voters on November 6, 2001.
A Regional Mobility Authority is authorized to finance, design, construct, operate, maintain and expand a wide range of transportation facilities and services. Potential projects include highways (tolled or untolled), ferries, airports, bikeways, and intermodal hubs. Projects can be financed using a wide range of methods, including the sale of tax-exempt revenue bonds, private equity, public grants, government loans, and revenue generated from existing transportation facilities. A Regional Mobility Authority can acquire or condemn property for projects, enter into public private partnerships, and set rates for the use of transportation facilities.
The city's operations committee will take the first step towards our very own RMA. From the operations committee agenda scheduled for Tuesday, April 9th, 2013 at 12:30 pm at City Hall.
Authorizing the City Manager to coordinate with Webb County to establish a Joint Webb County - City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority (RMA) to finance, acquire, design, construct, operate, maintain, expand or extend City-County transportation projects.
Another way to create a new taxing entity...toll roads.
ReplyDeleteTxDot needs to look inward at the cost of designing and building highways. Once they have proven they are doing the best work and getting the best product for our money, only then will we let them entertain tax increases (toll roads are tax increases.)
Besides, some of these new toll roads are perhaps not really needed. I just read an article of how the 130 (Seguin to Georgetown) is not pulling in the big bucks that they were expecting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Tom Wade.
LT
I second that LT, but you dont' have to go far to see toll roads are money losers. Just look at the Colombia Toll Rd. up near 35. You hardly see any traffic at all. Seems like a lazy, half assed answer to alleviate traffic problems, no?
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