tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54291686574498892762024-03-08T06:10:50.654-08:00Lillian SimmonsLillian Martinezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05856847934332758899noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429168657449889276.post-61841607648397485992012-02-27T19:52:00.000-08:002012-02-27T19:52:30.699-08:00toll roads<br /><br />------ Original Message ------<br />Received: 08:55 PM CST, 02/27/2012<br />From: Vince May<br />
To: TCLPActive@yahoogroups.com<br />Subject: [TCLPActive] IRS deduction<br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> IRS will allow a standard BUSINESS travel deduction of 55 cents per<br /> mile for 2011 tax returns. It is widely accepted as an accurate<br /> average cost of operating a vehicle in America. One penny of that 55<br /> cent cost is for the gas tax collected that pays for roads. (About<br /> 27 cents of each gallon of gas pays for highways. The average car<br /> gets 27 miles per gallon.) <br /><br /> <br /><br /> CTRMA will hold environmental impact hearings<br /> for the MoPac toll project on March 1 and 6 to assess the impact of<br /> tolling on people and the local economy. CTRMA proposes to collect a<br /> toll of approximately 55 cents per mile. (It could go as high as $1<br /> per mile. The toll will be dynamic, although a floor of 26 cents per<br /> mile will apply at all times.) The toll rate will automatically<br /> escalate every year.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> It is easy to see that the toll tax will raise the cost of driving<br /> by 100%. In the same way it is clear that the new tax raises the<br /> cost of road provision by 5,500%. (1 cent vs 55 cents per mile.)<br /> Some people think we should be kind to toll road users by refunding<br /> the 1 cent that they pay in gas taxes but that still leaves a 5,400%<br /> tax increase. The argument is irrelevant since both state and<br /> federal law prohibit a gas tax refund. (Business travelers will be<br /> able to claim a deduction for tolls paid.) BTW: a 55 cents per mile<br /> toll is equivalent to a $15 per gallon gas tax.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Some people believe that the higher cost will be worth the privilege<br /> of driving at higher speeds. This might be an illusion. CTRMA has<br /> not set the target speed for the toll lane but stated that 40 to 50<br /> mph is under consideration. The latest info, which will probably by<br /> stated at the hearing, is that a minimum of 50 mph will be the<br /> target. (This is a computer generated number that will be revised<br /> when the lanes open so as to maximize profits for the private<br /> operator.) A similar HOV lane in Atlanta that was recently converted<br /> to toll resulted in much slower traffic on both the toll lane and<br /> free lanes. (Some people reject the tern "free" lane. I suggest they<br /> be called prepaid lanes but that is not how the public speaks. If<br /> they are to be called tax lanes then toll lanes should be called<br /> double-tax-plus-user-fee lanes.)<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Why do toll lanes cost so much? A single tolled lane on MoPac takes<br /> up a minimum of 19 feet of pavement and 26 feet in other<br /> places. That is partially gained by reducing the width and reserve<br /> space (shoulders) on the free lanes. Expensive bridge work will have<br /> to be done, which would not be needed if a fourth free lane is<br /> built. There will be a need for very expensive flyovers that would<br /> not be needed for a free lane. All of this must be financed at<br /> approximately double the rate that would be paid for state<br /> bonding. A swarm of (private) bureaucrats are needed to operate the<br /> lanes. That is in addition to an increased number of public<br /> bureaucrats to oversee the private bureaucrats. To curry public<br /> approval, an expensive sound wall must be built. To win approval<br /> from enviros, bike lanes will be built on precious real estate. (Not<br /> seen in the graphic below.) For some reason the engineers specified<br /> expensive jersey barriers on both sides. I'm not sure if this is<br /> toll related.<br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Note the generous shoulders that promote safety. The 11 foot lane<br /> width would only be needed on several miles near downtown. This plan<br /> allows deferral of some bridge work and eliminates the rest. It<br /> could operate at 65 mph but I would propose 55 mph. This promotes<br /> safety and reduces sound impact. I would specify asphalt in the<br /> areas where sound walls are proposed. (This greatly reduces sound<br /> impacts.) The most important thing is that this free plan can be<br /> built for less tax money than will be put into building a toll<br /> road. It does not include bike lanes or sound walls.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> CAMPO has been asked, by CTRMA, to approve "investing" $70 million<br /> of our tax dollars in the MoPac toll project. (Keep in mind that<br /> taxpayers have already paid for the $100 million worth of real<br /> estate being donated to the private company that will be given<br /> a monopoly to operate the toll lane.) Another $110 million of<br /> government funds will be put into the project but I am not certain<br /> which pool it comes from. I will find out.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> CTRMA will ask a private company to add $70 million to complete the<br /> toll project cost of $250 million. I propose that we could build the<br /> lanes as a free project with our $70 million of tax money and avoid<br /> a host of problems that come with the toll plan. Why would TxDOT<br /> prefer the toll plan? TxDOT has already signed a contract with CTRMA<br /> that requires CTRMA to repay the $179 million you see in the<br /> graphic. It was tax money when it was put into the toll project but<br /> will become "surplus revenues" when TxDOT gets it back in 20 years.<br /> Texas law allows TxDOT (and CAMPO) freedom with how surplus revenues<br /> can be spent.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> The money could be spent on more toll roads or train lines or bike<br /> paths. In essence, the money has been laundered through the toll<br /> road. TxDOT and CAMPO don't have to actually wait 20 years. JP<br /> Morgan will happily monetize the future money in 2014. Will we get<br /> another toll road or another Red Line?<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Here is the kicker: The private company will get a turnkey contract<br /> that allows them full control over design, finance, construction and<br /> operation. They might be able to build the project for $179 million.<br /> They wouldn't have to invest a single penny. You would never know<br /> because they are not accountable. How do you know that TxDOT's<br /> estimate of $250 million is good? I can show you the contracts for<br /> the free flyovers just built on IH 35 @ Ben White. It cost $25<br /> million. The contract for the nearly identical flyovers on US 183 @<br /> 290E was let for $52 million. Politicians hail this as a great<br /> success because users of the 290E flyovers will pay $125 million in<br /> "user fees", AKA toll taxes. CAMPO put $90 million of Obama money<br /> into the 290E flyover project. Does your head spin? Welcome to<br /> fascism.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> After the $179 million is repaid the private company will begin to<br /> earn large profits. It is plain to see that this is more fascism<br /> than the free market at work. The private company has minimal risk<br /> and primarily serves as a "tax farmer" for the state. The fascism is<br /> evident to people who visit the legislature, in session, and see the<br /> hordes of private companies writing our laws. Heritage.org has a<br /> page online explaining why they are lobbying the Congress to raise<br /> the federal gas tax; they say that private companies can't afford to<br /> build toll roads unless taxpayers are forced to pay for more of the<br /> construction cost. But, as the 290E project shows, we are already<br /> paying twice as much tax money to build toll projects than we would<br /> have paid to build free projects.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Who pays for the toll roads that fail? Not the fascists. Taxpayers<br /> do. Virtually every private<br /> toll road ever built went bankrupt. Fascist toll roads are a<br /> guaranteed loss for taxpayers, who are already forced to subsidize<br /> truckers and trains. Stop the subsidies for private leeches. If a<br /> private company wants to buy the MoPac right of way and build a toll<br /> lane, show me your $350 million. (That's right, pay for the ROW<br /> too.)<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Fifteen years ago the state was asked to approve private operation<br /> of prisons. The state said that any offer to build and run prisons<br /> for 10% less than the state spent would be granted. Now the state is<br /> proposing to turn over our roads to private interests if they can<br /> increase the cost of building and operating the projects to several<br /> times what citizens are currently charged. Give me a break.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Vince<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br />Lillian Martinezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05856847934332758899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429168657449889276.post-89190224482210358662012-02-27T08:06:00.002-08:002012-02-27T08:06:14.279-08:00transportation bills<br /><br />------ Original Message ------<br />Received: 06:40 PM CST, 02/03/2012<br />From: Vince May <br />To: TCLPActive@yahoogroups.com<br />Subject: [TCLPActive] House Committee on Ways & Means<br /><br />http://waysandmeans.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=277596<br /><br />The House Ways and Means Committee (very powerful) voted in a new <br />transportation funding formula today. It strips _all transit funding_ <br />out of the Highway Trust Fund, meaning about 20% more federal money will <br />be available for roads over the next 5 years. (More funding _may_ <br />actually materialize since the bill would also divert certain oil and <br />gas royalties _into the Trust Fund_.) Transit would be funded out of <br />general revenues which are getting tighter.<br /><br />HR 3864 passed out of committee today 20 -17, with 2 republicans joining <br />the 15 losing dems.<br />http://waysandmeans.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Motion_to_Commit_02.03.12.pdf<br />The text:<br />http://waysandmeans.house.gov/UploadedFiles/H_R__3864.pdf<br /><br />A dem amendment failed 22 - 15. (Probably a pro transit amendment.)<br />http://waysandmeans.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Blumenauer_Rangel_Tally_02.03.12.pdf<br /><br />Another dem amendment also failed 22 - 15.<br />http://waysandmeans.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Neal_Tally_02.03.12.pdf<br /><br />Looks pretty good, so far. But other committees and the full house have <br />to vote in coming weeks. Then it becomes a fight with the Senate.<br /><br />Vince<br /><br /><br />Lillian Martinezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05856847934332758899noreply@blogger.com0