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butterbean · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 2269

‘Fiscal irresponsibility’
By JOANN LIVINGSTON Daily Light Managing Editor
Posted: Sunday, February 25, 2007 7:34 PM CST

The Trans-Texas Corridor, Gov. Rick Perry’s massive transportation project, hit some speed bumps Friday.

A sharply-worded report from the State Auditor’s Office was released - and a member of the Republican leadership in the House filed a bill to repeal the plan, which could encompass up to 8,000 miles.

Brenham Rep. Lois Kolkhorst’s bill is almost identical to one already filed by Democrat state Rep. David Leibowitz of Helotes, near San Antonio.

With lawmakers from both sides of the aisle questioning the project, organizers of a March 2 rally are hoping thousands of Texans will make their way to the state Capitol for a protest.

Friday evening, Corridor Watch spokes-man David Stall didn’t mince words after reading the audit, much of which focused on the corridor’s first portion, the TTC-35.

The 560-mile TTC-35 would bisect the state and connecting with the Mexican and Oklahoman borders.

“My main point about the report is that no one has any accurate costs or revenues, indirect or direct, to the state,” Stall said. “The report provides significant evidence that enormous financial decisions are being made to move the TTC forward without any disclosure, debate, analysis or review.”

The audit states in part, “ … weaknesses in (the Texas Department of Transportation’s) accounting for project costs create risks that the public will not know how much the state pays for TTC-35 or whether those costs are appropriate.”

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http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2007/02/25/dailylight/news/01-02-25-ttcmain.txt