Thread: Texans - State Highway Construction Fund Looted

Lyle Larson is saying there is NO WAY that Carole Strayhorn could not have known about his.

http://satollparty.com/post/?p=420

State Highway Construction Fund Looted
Nearly $10 billion removed from the fund to pay for lawmakers’ pet projects
By Jim Forsyth
WOAI Radio
October 3, 2006

Ever wonder why the Texas Department of Transportation suddenly has no money to build and improve highways, and all of a sudden every new road or highway improvement has to be a toll road?

Documents released by toll road opponent Bexar County Commissioner Lyle Larson, indicate that over the last twenty years, some $10 billion has been systematically looted from the state gasoline tax fund, which is supposed to pay for new highway construction, often placed into programs that have nothing to do with highways.

“As a result of the continuous diversion of the fund, toll roads and pass-through financing have become the most viable funding alternatives for Tex-DOT,” Larson said. “Clearly the cannibalization of this fund has contributed to the transportation funding shortfall and the need for creative funding alternatives.”

The list of programs highway construction money has been diverted to reads like a legislative Christmas Tree. They include cemetery construction, tourism promotions, and maintaining the grounds of the State Capitol Building.

$3.4 million dollars in highway construction money has gone for a computer system in the State Comptroller’s office, according to Larson’s figures. Thirteen million has gone to the state department of Mental Health Mental Retardation.

One hundred thousand went to pave a parking lot at the San Antonio Chest Hospital.

Amazingly, $9.6 million in money that is supposed to fund highway construction has been diverted to the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

More than half of the total money diverted from road construction, $5.4 billion, went to fund the operations of the Department of Public Safety. One-hundred and fifteen million simply went into the state’s general fund.

Larson says State Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) has agreed to sponsor a measure in the coming session of the legislature that would outlaw the diversion of money from State Highway Fund 6, the motor fuel tax fund, into any project other than new highway construction.

“The diversion of state motor fuel tax money into items such as the State Department of Commerce for tourism packages and the Texas Historical and Arts Commission have contributed to the state highway shortfall,” Larson said.

Hey ACLU of TExas
why are you not representing the LEGAL citizen on THIS ONE!!!!!!!!
Oh that right... your busy representing non CITIZENS

It seems these areas where money is directed, needs a more public view of how they are spending the money.

First....I don't think there's ANY look as to competition on these things.
Plus spending for nonsense that has nothing to do with road construction. Or like when they increase the funding for schools and the majority goes to the high-ups pay increase. Right now theirs a push here for more taxes for a "wish list". Landscaping for a hill, etc. Where's some volunteer groups for these projects? Why should my tax money go for overly expensive landscaping when there's houses that are flooding or neighborhoods that have their electricity go out at every rain. There's just no ability to set priorities or even to look to other avenues for some of these projects. In the case here....the hill etc. isn't in need of landscaping for erosion or anything......it's an uppity area that thinks it could just look better to have fancy bushes and flowers instead of just mowed grass. These guys in government aren't acting responsibly with all this money given to them. It's like Wilma and Betty...CHARGE IT!!!! Then leave the tax and now tolls for something that was already paid for!