Perry Vetoed HB1892 As Expected
Don't pin your hopes on overturning HB1892.
Delivering on his promise Governor Perry vetoed HB1892 Friday, May 18. His reasons are certainly open to challenge, but there is no point in taking issue with his flawed argument now.
The Senate signaled their unwillingness to stand up to the Governor when they started negotiating on SB792. It is extremely unlikely that either house will be willing to risk a special session and the Governor's wrath by overturning his veto.
We cannot count on the return of HB1892 or any benefit from a special session while Rep. Krusee remains Chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
Only a week ago Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst wrote David and Linda Stall a letter telling them, "By enacting a reasonable two-year moratorium on private toll road projects, while excluding projects already on the drawing board, the people of Texas and their elected representatives can take a serious look at these projects to make sure they actually work and benefit all Texans.
Lt. Governor Dewhurst can exert tremendous influence over the decisions of the Senate conferees, let's make sure he knows that without Amendment 13 TxDOT will be fully authorized to proceed with signing contracts to build the Trans Texas Corridor without limit.
Lt. Governor
David Dewhurst
800.441.0373
512.463.0001
You may need to wait until Monday morning to call as his voice mail system may be overloaded with messages.
Fax 512.463.0677
e-Mail
Send This Important
Message To Others
By Using this
"Forward email" link
It's Time To Use Our Secret Weapon,
The Citizen's Veto
We have one final chance to stop the TTC for two years. If we don't it might be too late to ever stop TTC-35 or 69.
The House is often referred to as The People's House. So far this session that has proven to be true.
The Texas House of Representatives has solidly supported a Trans Texas Corridor moratorium at every opportunity and on every vote. Soon they will have one more vote on SB792, allowing it to either become law or killing it forever.
Through our Representatives we can exercise a Citizen's Veto by asking them to kill SB792 if it fails to give Texas a moratorium on the Trans Texas Corridor.
No amendment, no moratorium.
There is a fatal flaw in the language of SB792 that would allow TxDOT to proceed with construction of TTC-35, even if the bill becomes law. On May 17, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst fixed that loop hole with House Amendment #13.
The Governor has demanded that amendment 13 be removed from SB792.
In a document circulated to Senators the Governor's Office complains that, "No segment of TTC-35 can be built during the moratorium, except Loop 9, which is exempted from the moratorium." Of course that is exactly the whole intent of introducing a moratorium bill.
Governor Perry has said he would sign a moratorium bill, but that was when it wouldn't stop his TTC. Now he has changed is tune and is pressuring Senators to strip the amendment off SB792 effectively eliminating any moratorium on the TTC.
There will be very little if any benefit to most Texans from the passage of SB972 if is fails to contain the provisions of amendment 13 that put an enforceable 2-year hold private CDA projects.
Amendment 13 will not effect North Tx projects.
None of the projects exempt from the moratorium under SH792 will be effected by the inclusion of amendment 13. SH121, SH161, Loop 9, I635, I820, SH130, and SH45SE can all continue without delay.
There is only one way to proceed.
The only option available to us today is one of all or nothing. Either we keep amendment 13 and the moratorium on the TTC - or we do everything in our power to see SB792 killed.
We have counted the votes and believe that if we all go to work today we can achieve near 100 votes to assure SB792 dies upon its return to the House if it arrives without amendment 13 intact.
CALL TO ACTION
STAND UNITED
SB792 With 13 is Okay;
Without 13 - No Way!
Together we have accomplished miracles advancing the effort to stop the Trans Texas Corridor. We have come a long way but are still short of having legislation that will put the TTC on hold.
It is unbelievably incredible that repeated overwhelming votes of both the Senate and the House has not produced the result desired by the citizens and their elected representatives. It is a gross miscarriage of justice and democratic government that the Governor alone can thwart the will of the people.
Our goal is 30 Representatives who will stand and object, and another 70 who will join them to kill SB792 should it return to the House without amendment 13.
WE MUST ALL TAKE THIS ACTION
ON SUNDAY MAY 20 OR MONDAY MAY 21
#1. Call and fax Lt. Governor Dewhurst.
Call 800.441.0373
Fax 512.463.6700
You can use this form letter.
#2. Call and fax your State Representative.
Look up your Representative
You can use this form letter.
#3. Call and fax the Conference Chairman.
Call Senator Williams - 888.668.1227
Fax Senator Williams - 512.463.6373
You can use this form letter.
#4. Recruit others to take action today.
Copy & circulate the form letters above.
Email this message to others.
Encourage calls to Lt. Gov Dewhurst
Here's what we suggest that you say when you call.
I strongly support a moratorium on the construction of the Trans Texas Corridor.
Senate Bill 792 must retain House Amendment 13, the Kolkhorst amendment that places 'facility agreements' into the moratorium language. If the bill comes out of the Conference Committee without amendment 13 I'm asking my elected officials to vote the bill down.
Please help keep amendment 13 in SB792 or kill the bill altogether.
For more information.
CorridorWatch has prepared a special web page that explains the effect and impact of amendment 13. If you or your elected official would like to know the technical details of this amendment visit:
www.corridorwatch.org/ttc/13
David & Linda Stall, Co-founders
CorridorWatch.org
For More Frequent Updates Visit
CorridorWatch.org
