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J. Tillman at the Mohawk - Giveaway
The current battle over the Trans Texas Corridor (“TTC”) – essentially a fight between rural Texas, Governor Rick Perry’s office and the urban developers that Perry is backing – appears to be approaching its endgame this week. Certainly this story has all the obvious implications for the State’s infrastructure, but it could also have other consequences that may be less obvious: It could change how millions of Texans vote.
Here’s the present story in a nutshell, as Austinist understands it:
Rep. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has been fighting the “good fight” against TTC construction projects across the state, including those in the Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston areas, on behalf of rural Texans, who mostly oppose the construction. Kolkhorst is doing this by seeking a two-year delay on any development agreements associated with these projects. A large number of rural folks in these proposed construction areas have land – in many cases, land that has been in their families for generations – that will be directly affected by the TTC as proposed. Kolkhorst has been brawling it out for most of the session to get this delay, and, for the most part, she's been on her own. Despite the fact that she is an unquestioningly loyal right-wing soldier for the almighty Speaker of the House, Mr. Tom Craddick (R-Midland), we think that Rep. Kolkhorst deserves praise for her work on this issue.
Meanwhile, Governor Perry and the Texas Department of Transportation (which has essentially become a political arm of Gov. Perry’s office) want this project badly for reasons that are best left up to debate, and they’re absolutely hell-bent on seeing it through. So are city planners and business interests in the urban areas of Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston in particular, who stand to gain billions of dollars from TTC-related construction projects. Yet, even in the face of such mighty opposition, Rep. Kolkhorst has stood her ground, making it abundantly clear that she will not yield on the two-year delay on the development agreements that would allow these projects to commence. So, it’s one state representative and the Texas rural folk versus the power-hungry Governor Perry, his minions at TxDOT and his friends among the well-financed urban development elite. Think David and Goliath here.
Perry vetoed the original TTC bill, HB 1892. SB 792 is now the live legislation, and it currently sits in conference committee, where heated negotiations between all parties are taking place as we type this. The goal of the Governor’s office – which is working around the clock on this issue – is to get enough Senate support to block an override of the Governor’s original veto. If that happens, Rep. Kolkhorst’s delay doesn’t become law, the rural interests lose and Perry’s TTC project moves ahead full force, primarily in the areas surrounding Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston.
As you can guess, landowners in rural Texas are more than just a little upset about this whole affair. In fact, they are completely, rabidly, foaming-at-the-mouth furious about Perry’s plans. And just to clarify, we're not talking about ideological issues like abortion or gay rights that have helped Republicans get out the rural vote in the past; we're now talking about something that directly affects what many rural Texans hold most dear – their land.
This is not good for Perry, nor is it good for Texas Republicans. Rural Texas has, for the most part, played a huge role in the ascendancy of the Texas Republican Party. In the past two statewide elections, for example, Republican victories have essentially turned on the massive turnout of die-hard Republican voters in rural areas. By going against the landed interests of these loyalist voters with his TTC plan, Gov. Perry has chosen to violate one of the cardinal rules of the GOP Handbook: Don’t mess with your base voters.
Why would Perry do such a thing, you might be asking? Probably because he knows this is his last term as Governor, and probably because the TTC project is, as he sees it, his great legacy to the State of Texas. Perry therefore appears to be aggressively pushing the TTC through regardless of the long-term cost to both the State and to his own political party.
If Gov. Rick Perry defeats Rep. Kolkhorst’s efforts this week, he will surely have won the battle. But it’s very possible that, in doing so, he could run the Texas Republican Party into the ground for years to come by losing a large portion of its base vote.
Rick Perry won his second term as Governor of Texas by a meager 39 percent of the vote. If you ask us, “Mr. 39%” can’t exactly afford to lose any more public favor. Neither can his currently-dominant party.
*Images courtesy of Wikipedia and Flickr.
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Wow. The austinist should really read itself sometimes.
From www.austinist.com/archives/2007/04/16/urban_development_news_redonkeykong.php
"Highways out in the country make some amount of sense. Highways in the middle of a city destroy the urban fabric and increase traffic. We don't want to see farmers get their land taken for the TTC, but we really don't want 2,351 businesses; 166 schools, churches and government buildings; eight parks; and 11 cemeteries to have their land taken to expand I-35."
TTC or expanded I-35, which does the austinist want?
P.S. If Wal-Mart posted a blog like this the rg4n would call it a threat.
as far as the sweeping question of "whether roads in rural areas are good," ...that's definitely a great question, but it's also one that's outside the scope of this post. this post addresses the issue of whether the TTC, as currently proposed, should be allowed to proceed given the motivations lying at its root. it also discusses the possible political ramifications of Perry's move, for both himself and for the GOP.
your thoughts, political junkies?
Goddamnit! It's the 21st century. Where are my flying cars? How 'bout you work on that James Richard Perry?
Mr. 39% is a crook. He seeks to take and toll our freeways and push forward his unpopular TTC land grab.
Sal "The Muckraker" Costello
salcostello dot blogspot dot com
You had her followed, photographed, and than you publicized her licsense plate and where she parks?
That is some sleazy shit. If you have evidence of wrongdoing than pursue it with the proper authorities, otherwise you are just a creepy stalker. If she is attacked I would hope the police come to you first.
I am no fan of the TTC, but you are a pretty pathetic representative of the anti-TTC position.
[3:36] What "motivations lying at its root" are you talking about, s?
In the post you say that TXDOT "want[s] this project badly for reasons that are best left up to debate" and that Perry sees the TCC project as "his great legacy to the State of Texas." There is nothing particularly nefarious there.
You may say that your post doesn't address "whether roads in rural areas are good," but from the tone of your post it is pretty clear that are lined up against expansion if it costs rural Texans their land.