May 13, 2009
Editor's note: For background on this issue, refer to Pickett's transportation amendment drives CRRMA issue toward future elections.
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The amendment I placed on the TxDOT sunset bill would allow, at the City of El Paso's option, this is important enough to repeat, at the City's option, the ability to replace a politically appointed board that oversees the Regional Mobility Authority, RMA, with the City Council. The Mayor would be the Chair. This is the same situation as Sun Metro. The City Council is the board over transit. With the close association with the transit initiatives, bus rapid transit, possible rail and the $1 billion dollar mobility plan we have adopted, we should look at all being in one place.
Contrary to the "sky is falling,” the mantra TxDOT uses daily, our mobility plan is not in danger. I not only have embraced the plan, the priority selection of projects and the ultimate adoption of the plan, including tolled managed lanes came from my recommendations and work with our local Transportation Policy Board. There is absolutely nothing proposed to dissolve what the RMA does.
While we have the topic open, let’s talk about the positives that are a reality:
-- We have been awarded $96 million dollars to start the needed direct connects of Loop 375 on the East Side to Interstate Highway 10. This is being developed with the RMA and I support that.
-- We just announced the first project in all of Texas under the stimulus program, improvements to the Border Highway.
-- We have a sunset bill that would give more power to our community deciding our priorities and set up regional funding allocation. I only hope this most important part of the Sunset bill doesn’t die in the Senate, as most of the important issues regarding our community do. I guess the cry of “fair share” has died out by those who do not care as they used too.
-- We have the first Transportation Investment Zone created in the State of Texas; this was a bill I passed last session and have more improvements to it as well, that will give our community even more flexibility.
The Council members alone can decide whether or not they become the board of the RMA. All of the House delegation, including myself, are working hard to support our community. The City was given misinformation.
Tuesday, in the Committee I chair, we passed out a monumental initiative that would allow a local community like El Paso to have a local referendum to decide on whether or not we would elect to raise the gas tax 10 cents a gallon for our region for those projects we deem important and have no funding available from the state. This is not going to be an easy one to pass on the House floor, but the fact we might have an opportunity is a big deal.
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State Rep. Joe Pickett represents District 79 and is the chairman of the House Transportation Committee.