Ride sharing is now regulated by Austin City Council. Taxi companies are not pleased. Refreshing our recollection, the District Attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco recently sent ride share companies a list of concerns about the legality of ride sharing.
The legislative and regulatory issues are plenty- properly licensing drivers, background checks for drivers, tort liability issues for injured riders, and the kicker- how to tax ride sharing.
Posted inlegislative trend, local, ride share
High Speed Rail is moving forward in California. The California Supreme Court this week cleared the path for high speed rail after challengers attempted to block the bullet train. The $68 billion dollar bullet train is moving forward. [WSJ]
Posted inlegislative trend, railways
The statewide Prop. 1 for $1 billion in additional funding for state transportation projects will be joined on the November ballot by local transportation funding propositions. Austin has a $1 billion funding package of its own to expand roads and additional rail. [KUT] Tax policy can be complicated to explain and hard to depict with graphics. The good folks at the Transportation Research Center at Texas A&M have solved this dilemna for us. They have an easy to follow graphic on the gas tax and all state highway funding. It’s beautifully executed. [Transportation Policy Research Center at Texas A&M] There are animated speakers who talk about the need for increased transportation funding and then there are animated depictions of transportation funding. This is the latter. The Texas A&M Transportation Policy Research Center animates Prop 1. [Transportation Policy Research Center] Super Tuesday sounds like a primary day. For North Texas Super Tuesday is today, October 14th. Texas TURF will ake a public stand on its opposition to the Texas Turnpike Corp.’s Northeast Gateway. Six city council’s along the toll road’s path have passed resolutions opposing the toll road. [KETR] The controversial Northeast Gateway, a new toll road project in North Texas, spearheaded by the Texas Turnpike Corporation, is facing a reversal of fortune. The North Central Texas Council of Governments may reverse its support for the project. The project that has been greeted by over flowing crowds overwhelmingly opposed to the new toll road. Toll roads, especially toll roads by private companies, are not en vogue in 2014 Texas.
Posted ineminent domain, legislative trend, roads, tollroad
Community Impact Papers have a fantastic headline, Rainy Day Road Relief, even if revenue types would question the veracity of the headline. Back in the summer of 2013, Texas Legislature passed SJR 1 to add $1 billion in transportation funding which diverts a portion of the oil and gas revenues before the revenues reach the Rainy Day Fund. [Community Impact]
Posted in2013 Legislation, funding, roads
Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Addkisson supports indexing the gas tax. He points to the Governor’s Business Council which said that a 10 cent per gallon increase could make up the $60-90 Billion deficit in Texas transportation funding. He goes on to say that local governments are contributing millions in upfront funding to cover TXDOT transportation projects. [My SA]<... Texas recevied $48.6 billion in federal funds for fiscal year 2013. Texas complied with federal rules when it spent the $2.6 billion in funds from the federal highway planning cluster programs audited. [SAO] CA Supreme Court OKs High Speed Rail
Prop1 Joined by Local Transportation Propositions on November Ballot
Gas Tax Primer with pictures in 2 pages
Animated Transportation Funding
Toll Road Opponents Hosting Super Tuesday
Toll Road Reversal?
Prop 1: Rainy Day Road Relief
Bexar Co. commissioner Supports Gas Tax
Refresher: SAO Report on Federal Highway Planning