TOLL ROAD TAKEDOWN
The Harris County Auditor says he’ll tell the DA about the apparent illegal toll road contract first uncovered by Dolcefino Media. At the State Capitol a TOLL ROAD TAKEDOWN is underway.
Toll Road Takedown
“It’s really non transparency at its worst in local government,” Senator Paul Bettencourt said.
Texas lawmakers are taking action, hoping to launch state audits to uncover the truth about the tricks of the toll road.
The news from the state capitol comes in the wake of an ongoing Dolcefino Mediainvestigation, and it could cost Harris County government a big chunk of the extra profit they’re pocketing because you’re using EZ Tags.
We have been taking on the toll road monster, exposing millions in waste already in the way temporary workers are hired.
“You don’t want to talk to the people who pay your salary? Why do you think you’re worth so much money?” Wayne Dolcefino asks Roberto Trevino.
“I don’t know about you, but I think there’s something very wrong when the guy running an automated toll road system is the second highest paid official in the entire county. $485,000 a year,” Dolcefino tells the camera.
Since we studied the tricks of the toll road last for the Democrats in control of Harris County Commissioners Court have simply ignored the public outcry.
Almost $200 million in toll road contracts to just one company.
A company we’ve now linked to a staffing contract costing millions more than it had to.
Why the silence downtown? The toll road appears to be buying silence.
$290 million in surplus toll road money is being taken by the county commissioners to spend pretty much like they want to.
County Attorney Christian Menefee’s office has refused to let us see the legal justification why.
He just quit to run for Congress, just the transparent kind of guy we need in Washington.
But in Austin, Houston-area lawmakers are ready to deliver a big message to the toll road beast.
“If Commissioners Court won’t do anything about it, the legislature will act. Stop wasting the money. It’s the taxpayers’ money in the first place,” Senator Bettencourt said.
New legislation to put a leash on the toll road monster.
State Senator Paul Bettencourt teaming up with House Member Mano DeAyala.
If they succeed, Harris County commissioners will have a lot less money to play with, after we showed you they weren’t even using some of the money to improve mobility like we thought.
Up to $90 million in surplus money could be taken away from Harris County next year and given to the city of Houston to spend on mobility instead.
“Slice it up by four doesn’t solve the problem of mobility. The place that needs the money isn’t getting the money. The place that doesn’t need the money, wastes the money. And that’s really what this bill is trying to stop,” Bettencourt said.
The legislation could hit Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis the hardest.
Nearly 40 percent of his spending comes from toll road money.
Right now, commissioners are equally sharing this toll road windfall.
But 75 percent of the roads in Harris County are in one precinct.
“If you’re going to give Commissioner Ramsey 75% of the roads, then he should get 75% of the money. And if you want to legislate that from Austin, I’m all for it,” Commissioner Tom Ramsey said.
And the bill will set up the ability of the state to audit the Harris County Toll Road, which has escaped real scrutiny.
“It’s really non-transparency at its worst in local government,” senator Bettencourt said.
Unfortunately, this legislation doesn’t require the toll road to use this extra money to pay off the roads and make them free.
Instead, commissioners are swimming in toll road money while raising taxes at the same time.
“Face it, folks. Unless we revolt against the politicians, we will be paying tolls on those roads forever. For centuries,” Dolcefino tells the camera.
“From bike and pedestrian improvements to more space on toll roads and a new ship channel bridge, the Harris County Toll Road Authority is doing its part for mobility,” Jerome Bray said.
The deputy director of communications is former channel 11 anchor, Jerome Bray.
I’ve known him for decades, but add him now to the list of former reporters who refuse to answer legitimate questions now that they work for the government
But he’s now teamed up with his former anchor, Lisa Foronda, on new ads for the toll road.
“We should all drive to HCTRA.org to learn more,” Foronda said in an ad.
Who knows how much the bill will be for that media campaign, but I know who’s paying.
You are.
What the toll road should be doing is cancel any wasteful staffing contracts immediately.
The purchasing department promised to rebid one of those contracts last year.
We’re still waiting. Why the stall?
It is simply wasting your money.
“Don’t you just hate it when your money is spent by the government telling you how great they are at spending your money,” Dolcefino tells the camera.
“Get an EZ Tag to keep it moving,” Bray said in an ad.
Keep up with us on social media:
