Monday, November 15, 2010

Buy local

Someone should tell the North Central Texas Council of Governments that.

WHO are they?  That's a good question.  Refresh your memory here.

Read about their latest in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  This brings up the question, when the Federal well runs dry on the Trinity River Vision, WHERE do you think they will get the money?  And just WHO will be employed?  What will WE pay to employ them?

Special arrangements are being made to keep a handful of foreign-born employees working on the complicated computer models used to determine whether the region qualifies for federal highway and commuter rail funding as well as to ensure that regional toll revenue is dispersed to local governments fairly.


But a recent Texas Department of Transportation audit concluded that the council of governments should not be using federal transportation funds to pay fees and legal expenses for a handful of employees related to their immigration work status. The employees are from China, India and other countries, transportation director Michael Morris said.

The council of governments disagrees with the audit findings and intends to appeal, he said.

But to ensure that planning efforts for these transportation projects continue uninterrupted, the Regional Transportation Council agreed last week to set aside local funds, in lieu of the federal funds, to cover the expenses.

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