November 13, 2004 “Governor Perry and his friends spent a great deal of time researching ideas to create more revenue, to decrease the cost of doing business and to deliver services to Texans as fast and as cheap as possible.” “First was the idea of using toll debt to build new highways in the state.” “ Properly planned and executed the Trans Texas Corridor will produce cash for transportation projects throughout the state including urban Texas.” Comments of Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson addressing the House Transportation Committee about legislation creating the Trans Texas Corridor. March 25, 2003.

November 13, 2004 "One of the big issues that kind of got 3588 going was the issue of funding for transportation." — Transportation Policy Director John Langmore, 78th Legislature (Austin, March 4, 2004)

November 13, 2004 "... concentrating on the four primary routes first, is the beginning of generating the cash flow..." — Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (June 27, 2002)

November 13, 2004 "It's either toll roads, slow roads or no roads" — Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (May 2004) "in your lifetime most existing roads will have tolls" — Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (October 11, 2004)

House Bill Articles November 13, 2004 Article 1. Trans-Texas Corridor Article 2. Regional Mobility Authorities Article 3. Advance Acquisition of Property Article 4. Rail Facilities Article 5. Issuance of Bonds and Other Public Securities Article 6. Pass-Through Tolls Article 7. Conversion of Nontoll State Highway Article 11. Disposition of Dept of Public Safety Fees Article 13. Statewide Coordination of Public Transportation Article 15. Texas Turnpike Authority Article 19. Miscellaneous Provisions

November 13, 2004 "...the commission has the same powers and duties relating to the condemnation and acquisition of real property for a facility of the Trans-Texas Corridor that the commission and the department have relating to the condemnation or purchase of real property..." [Sec (a)] "...an authority may not pay compensation for public real property, parkways, streets, highways, alleys, or reservations it takes..." [Sec (a)]

November 13, 2004 "...generating revenue, directly or indirectly, for use in constructing or operating the Trans-Texas Corridor from or for ancillary facilities that directly benefit users of the Trans- Texas Corridor." [Sec (b)(5)] "...the department may require a person, including a governmental or private entity, to pay a fee as a condition of using any part of the Trans-Texas Corridor." [Sec (a)]

November 13, 2004 "Property may be leased or a franchise or license granted for any purpose, including use as a facility and use for unrelated commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes." [Sec (d)] "Tolls, fees, fares, or other usage charges are not subject to supervision or regulation by any agency of this state or another governmental entity." [Sec (d)]

November 13, 2004 "The commission by order may convert a segment of the free state highway system to a turnpike project and transfer that segment to an authority, or may transfer an existing turnpike project that is part of the state highway system, whether previously tolled or not..." [Sec (a)] "An authority may impose a toll for transit over an existing free road, street, or public highway transferred to the authority under this chapter." [Sec (a)]

November 13, 2004 "...contract with a person for the use of part of a transportation project, or lease or sell part of a transportation project, including the right-of-way adjoining the portion used to transport people and property, for any purpose, including placing on the adjoining right-of-way a gas station, garage, store, hotel, restaurant, parking facility, railroad track, billboard, livestock pasturage, telephone line or facility, telecommunication line or facility, data transmission line or facility, or electric line or facility, under terms set by the authority." [Sec (a)(2)]

November 13, 2004 "An authority is exempt from payment of development fees, utility connection fees, assessments, and service fees imposed or assessed by any governmental entity or any property owners' or homeowners' association." [Sec (b)]

November 13, 2004 "It [HB-3588] gives us all of the authority and all of the power we need on a state level to move forward on the Trans-Texas Corridor, plus some." — Phillip Russell, Director, Texas Turnpike Authority Div (August 20, 2003)

November 13, 2004 "Our goal is to award -- our plan is to award and execute the CDA by late We stand committed to that schedule, and we're going to work very hard to try to maintain that schedule." — Edward Pensock, Director of Corridor Planning & Development, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003)

November 13, 2004 "I don't think the general public is aware of all the information they need to know and whether or not this is good for all areas." — TX Rep. "Robby" Cook (July 4, 2004)

November 13, 2004 "... there are serious questions being raised by the citizens of Texas about this new approach to funding highways in our state." — Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas State Comptroller