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Texas Central Rail is keeping a up a public meeting schedule. On Saturday April 11, 2015, they held a meeting in Montgomery County. the Highlights:
Eminent Domain
Building the high speed rail will grant a private entity, the Texas Central Railway, the power of eminent domain. Private entities with eminent domain are out of vogue in Texas.
Public Funding
Opposition claims that if ridership goals are not met, public funds will be applied to the project.
Ride Share moved from local issue affecting local ordinances in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Houston to a statewide solution. HB 2440 by Repsentative Paddie was heard in House Transportation. Statewide solutions for ride share on the horizon. Cab companies testified in opposition: A new rail bridge is opening near Brownsville, which has been trying for 15 years to move the current Matamoros rail track out of downtown Brownsville. The move will improve safety by eliminating 14 car crossings. A security checkpoint in Mexico will screen train traffic in both directions until the US security station is moved from its current location. Mexico paid $80M of the cost and local governemtns in the U.S. $40M.
Posted inrailways
Texas Central High-Speed Railway accnounced a dozen public meetings from April 9th to the 24th to clear the air. A nonprofit group of archeologists in Florida are vocalizing opposition to a high speed rail plan because the high speed rail will block their ability to recover artifacts. Other opposition includes: Their lawsuit in federal court asks the court to void the bonds backing the high speed rail. Texas has generated $17.6 Million in revenue from speciality license plates. Squeaking by in a 5-4 vote, Senate Transportation Committee passed SB 1601 by Kolkhorst. the bill removes eminent domain authority for high speed rail. The High Speed Rail proponents say federal law, alone, doesn’t provide the tools that will help them to build their rail. Recommending a funding solution for transportation works best when the people recommending the solution aren’t elected officials. Look at Georgia, they had a special committee recommend suggestions and now a new transportation solution is sittin gon the Governor’s Desk. Washington Times Connecticut follows suit with Governor Malloy appointing a 10 member Council …Big Week for Ride Share with Help from Texas Association of Business. Cab Companies Disagree on 4 Point Disagreement.
How long does it take to build a new rail between TX & Mexico? 100 + years
High Speed Rail. High Speed Misinformation Campaign Alleged.
Posted in2015 legislation, legislative trend, railways
Legal Trend: Archeologists Get Involved in Rail Opposition
What do speciality license plates and $17.6 million have in common?
Trend: High Speed Rail Prohibited from Using Eminent Domain
Trend: Transportation Funding Panels
5 Point Transportation Funding Plan from a California Republican Legislator