+1 County in Opposition Column. High Speed Rail.

Which County Commissioners voted to oppose Texas Central Rail high speed rail plan? Navarro County Commissioners 

The number of counties staking claim to official opposition: 7

The basis for the opposition in Navarro County? Oppose the granting of eminent domain authority to the private high speed rail

County Judge names legislators who support the County Commissioner opposition resulation: Representative Byron Cook and Senator Brian Birdwell

Corsicana Daily Sun | County Commissioners oppose High Speed Rail

INTERIM. Sharing Economy. Austin Ride Share Prop. The Numbers Only.

The Winning Side (No on the Austin Proposition):

  • 56% of the vote
  • 17% voter turnout
  • $125,000 Spent
  • $40 cost of finger print background check

 

The Losing Side (Yes on the Austin Ride Share Proposition):

  • 44% of the vote
  • 17% voter turnout
  • $8 Million Spent
  • $223.15 per vote
  • 05/09/2016 the date Uber and Lyft may stop service in Austin

KUT | Proposition 1 Ride-hailing Measure is Soundly Defeated

Statesman | Prop 1 goes down as activist proclaims: ‘Austin made Uber an example’

Engadget | Uber and Lyft to shut down in Austin after failed vote

Support for High Speed Rail. +1 City. +1 Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Which local governmetns voted to support Texas Central Rail high speed rail project between Dallas & Houston?

  • Waco City Council
  • Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization

On what is the Waco support based?

  • high speed rail project will be an p​economic catalyst
  • high speed rail is an efficient way to reduce traffic congestion

Waco High Speed Rail Resolution

Waco MPO High Speed Rail Resolution

News 25 Waco | Waco city council endorses Texas high-speed rail project

3 Points from the Opposition. High Speed Rail. Ellis County.

The Ellis County Press published an Op-Ed from Texans Against High Speed Rail.

What points does Texans Against High Speed Rail make in its Op-Ed?

  • Texas Central Rail doesn’t have its funding in place
  • Texas Central Rail has no problems using eminent domain to take land it doesn’t need
  • Texas Central Rail is asking the federal government whether it has to comply with Texas eminent domain laws

Ellis County Press | TCR proposes to acquire land it ultimately won’t use to satisfy investors

Lege TREND. Data Based Transportation Funding. 3 Keys from Eastern State.

Which state moved to data based funding for transportatin projects? North Carolina

When did North Carolina make the move to data based funding? 2013

Why did North Carolina adopt data based funding for transportation? To give highest priority to congestion, safety and economic development

What happened since adopting data based funding? A repeal was “snuck” into the 2015 budget.

What is North Carolina doing to strenthen data based funding?

  • House Bill 988 repeals the 2015 change
  • The proposal strengthens the conenction between urban and rural North Carolina by focusing on moving goods and services between the two
  • The state shouldn’t kill locally approved transportation projects like a Charlotte, NC light rail project

Charlotte Observer Editorial | Taking politics out of transportation – again

3 Point Speed Read. Waller County. High Speed Rail.

Will eminent domain be used by Texas Centeral Rail to build its Dallas-Houston high speed rail?  Only if deals cannot be reached

How did property owners in Waller County react?

  • Waller County Judge Trey Duhon: “This is a huge eminent domain issue. Texas is a huge private property right state.” 
  • A property owner turned away a precondemnation surveyor on his property
  • Reports are that deals will never come.

High Speed Rail is turning into a standoff.

KHOU | Waller County landowners vow to fight high speed rail

TRENDING. High Speed Rail Reforms in California. 1 Editorial. 5 Suggestions.

The Los Angels Times editorial, Californians deserve more transparency on bullet train finances, the take aways:

  • Support “common-sense transparency measures that can help them properly oversee the project”
  • Lawmakers should be told how high speed rail will cover the full cost of the project
  • Require that the authority include its projected borrowing costs in its business plan
  • Disclose the long term costs of debt financing and securitization of debt issued against future cap-and-trade revenue
  • Require high speed rail to identify changes in the project segments in each business plans to keep communities and lawmakers informed

TREND. West Coast Solution to low road funding? Incremental sales tax.

What proposal is being bandied about to improve local transportation funding in California? incremental sales tax for counties to raise transportation revenue

What are the recommended benchmarks for a local transporation incremental sales tax in California?

  • Flexibility & Inclusiveness.  Need local sales tax authority that can adapt to changing transportation needs
  • Clear bonding authority. Leverage the sales tax revenue for bonds & other financial mechanisms

Sound familiar? Local TIRZs for transportation funding have been or are being created in South Padre and Weatherford, TX.

Orrick | Sales Tax Revenue Bonds Provide Critically Needed Transportation Funding Source