Well, it looks like the city of Laredo and the county of Webb are in cahoots to raise the price we have to pay for our motor vehicle registration. One of the items the city will push for on their annual (tax-payer funded?) trip to Austin will be for an additional charge when you register your vehicle.
As if that weren't enough, the city/county also want to set up another taxing entity called a Regional Mobility Authority. Being that the city recently hired a consulting firm that specializes in all sorts of special taxing districts, it's not surprsing they came up with this-in a hurry.
From the Jan 22, 2013 City of Laredo Agenda
26. Amending the state legislative agenda to add the following legislative issues:
1. Support for funding for El Indio Roadway Project.
2. Support of Webb County creating a Regional Mobility Authority (RMA), in conjunction with a Transportation Reinvestment Zone (TRZ), for the development of Loop 20, as it relates to the I-69 Corridor, and said funds to be used for such use only.
3. Support of Webb County having an additional registration fee to fund the I-69 Corridor, that being State Loop 20 and U.S. Highway 59 from Loop 20 to the East Webb County line.
Editor's note
Item no 2 calls for a Regional Mobility Authority which wikipedia has the following to say about:
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.
Public-private partnerships? OMG! Don't be surprised at who the private partner is going to be. Perhaps this is already in the planning. What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall at this person's office.
ReplyDeleteI have argued against RMA's for years. They are nothing more than another level of government designed to tax or toll the citizens.
ReplyDeleteWhat is private/public partnerships, tax dollars in the form of tolls paid to a highway developer are the private part, and the tax dollars you already send to Austin are the public part.
We already have enough government layers to build and design highways. Let them do their job.