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You're Invited

TEXRAIL: BOON or BOONDOGGLE

Presentation for and against:

PRO - County Judge Glen Whitley

CON - Colleyville City Councilman Chris Putnam

Followed by presentation of a resolution for TCRA members about the project

Why You Should Attend----

• Learn facts and figures about the project and the proposed routing.
• Hear what the experience of other communities around the Country has been.
• Understand the costs - both upfront and operational subsidies - to the taxpayers.
• Question the presenters about any use of eminent domain.
• Listen as the presenters discuss the alternatives to such a light rail project.
• Enjoy some Christmas cheer with other TCRA members.

Glen Whitley is a CPA, now County Judge, who has been involved in the planning and development of the project. He will have data provided by the Regional Transportation Commission of the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Councilman Chris Putnam is a Senior VP with Synchronoss Technologies, a NASDAQ listed company. He has been part of the Colleyville community since 2006 and can present reasons why the project is of questionable value.

When: Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Time: 6:45 pm Social - meet & greet
7:15 pm Program on TEXRAIL (15 minutes per side)
7:45 pm Presentation and debate on a TEXRAIL resolution
8:00 pm Christmas celebration - libations and light hors d'oeuvres

Where: Rose Room, Fort Worth Botanic Garden
(On the west side of University Blvd. about ¼ mile north of I-30)

Cost: Open to Assembly members and the general public at no charge

TRWD does business in a "walking quorum" 2 of 3 Justice's say it's okay...

Only in Texas.

The 2nd Court of Appeals voted 2-1 in favor of the Tarrant Regional Water District last week.

You can read the case here - and the FWST take on it here.

You can read tons about the Justice's online...

Justice Lee Ann Dauphinot disagreed in a dissenting opinion and said that the board’s two-person committee’s should be subject to the Open Meetings Act if they are effectively being used to conduct the board’s business.

“By allowing TRWD to have meaningful decisions take place in the committee meetings instead of in open board meetings, the majority approves of TRWD’s using what is in essence a walking quorum,” Dauphinot said. “In my opinion, Bennett raised a fact issue about whether TRWD conducts its business in violation of the water code and TOMA. I therefore dissent.”

Fell for Prop 1? Roads vs. Rail

Not all of you live in the 12 county Metroplex region, but all of you have your transportation policy determined by a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Ours in North TX is the largest in the state, and is called the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC).

And yes, they plan to spend $15.1 BILLION in North Texas on new rail, in addition to the $3.9 BILLION they've already spent. And yes, traditional roadways are the LAST funding priority for your federal, state, county and city tax dollars. Peachy, isn't it?

But the people are not powerless. The below two articles are information that most Texas State legislators are currently unaware of, and they need to hear from you.

Local Officials Are Funding Rail Over Roads:
"Citizens should demand vocal action from their state, county and local officials. After all, the RTC has been granted its power by the legislature. Residents should ask their representatives when roads, not rail, will become the top transportation priority before they attempt to “fix” the problem by recklessly throwing more money at it."

Full Article: http://www.empowertexans.com/features/local-officials-are-funding-rail-over-roads

Prop 1's Toll Prohibition Is Effectively Meaningless:
"Texans who voted for Proposition 1 in the hopes of stopping toll road expansion are in for a big disappointment. Without a statewide prohibition on toll roads, rail and other non-road projects that applies to all state funds, increases in state funding like Prop 1 will actually encourage more waste by the regional governments that ultimately control which projects receive funding...Don't take my word for it, the RTC admits this is true."

Full Article: http://www.empowertexans.com/features/prop-1s-toll-prohibition-is-effectively-meaningless/

No More Tolls!

Join FedEx, UPS, & McDonalds in opposing tolls

You may remember earlier this year that a new national group organized to oppose tolls on federal interstate freeways, the Alliance for Toll-free Interstates. Big names like Walmart, McDonalds, and UPS are FINALLY waking up to the economic destruction tolls across the nation will do to commerce and our pocketbooks.

SIGN THE PETITION TODAY! 

Starting early

The TRV sent out their 38 page mailer praising themselves for all the things they are taking your money for. You'll have to wait till Spring (just prior to the election to receive the full color, glossy TRWD one).

We're told this didn't come before the TRWD board and Mary Kelleher has already requested the cost of the mailer...we're taking odds on if she gets that or not.

Read Durango's take on the propaganda piece.

YOU can't afford not to.