March 14, 2007
McCombs loves him some TTC, Ford Taurus
So, Red McCombs, Ford Dealer extraordinaire, has penned a retarded little op/ed for the Schlockman (which is evidently in a race to the bottom with the Fort Worth Star Telegram) in which he's listed as a 'special contributor' instead of the far more appropriate 'used car salesman'.
That's right! He's a CAR SALESMAN. Who the hell cares what the man who tries to sell you clearcoat thinks about transportation??!?!? He picked Ford's to sell... enough said about his intelligence. Red McComb's apparently a very passionate man. He's wild about tollroads. Red, now that I think about it, is kinda trash (sorry, it's the Ford thing... I hate Fords. They're just soooo lame). He's also a little bit senile (what is he, 90?)
By utilizing toll roads and private investment along with traditional funding methods, Texas can get more roads built faster and without a significant tax increase.By using public-private partnerships or comprehensive development partnerships like the $5 billion Texas 121 project, the state would have the resources for additional road projects because of the billions private companies are willing to pay to build and manage user-financed toll roads.
Red, no joke, how many times are we going to do this before you decide to pay attention? The public/private partnerships are just corporate welfare, nothing more. It's taking money out people's pockets and putting it onto the P&L of a foreign company. As for your declaration about a 'significant tax increase', if we make both tolls and gas taxes comparable to one another, working them on a per gallon basis, TOLLS ARE THE MORE EXPENSIVE TAX. That's important, Red... TOLLS ARE A TAX. Whether you are paying it to Cintra or the State of Texas, it's a tax.
Here's a simple example... in the real world, where WE live, tolls are averaging $0.20/mile. My car gets around 20 miles per gallon so my toll tax equivalent is $4.00 PER GALLON on the toll roads around Austin Metro... at least on the ones that the slow ass people have managed to open. The increase in the gas tax needed to fund transportation? Well, if you listen to the TTI (which, evidently, Red doesn't do because he doesn't like people smarter than himself) you can do it pay as you go by raising the gas tax by $0.31. 31 CENTS vs. $4.00 per gallon.
Gee, Red, which do you think is cheaper? Which is the better deal for consumers? Since the tolls roads are going to be everywhere, just a like a gas tax, we'll all get caught in it. Doesn't it make more sense to go with the cheaper alternative?
As for privatization schemes, we went over this last week so I'll not belabor the point except to say that no for-profit company is altruistic... most of the time, it's against the interests of their shareholders. When you factor in the need for a private company to make a profit, you soak up ANY efficiency from moving management from the public to private sector.
By using public-private partnerships or comprehensive development partnerships like the $5 billion Texas 121 project, the state would have the resources for additional road projects because of the billions private companies are willing to pay to build and manage user-financed toll roads.
Oh, Red. you mention this just as we find out that TXDoT sold out on the cheap. These guys can't even privatize correctly.
We've heard a lot about privatization over the last 26 years. Sometimes it works, usually it doesn't. It's also rarely cheaper for consumers and taxpayers. You can't get something for nothing which is exactly what toll roads (and those who, like Red McCombs, support them) promise. In the final analysis, the private sector can be just as sloppy and mismanaged as the public sector. Just look at Enron.
This has made me wonder if Red McCombs has invested in Cintra? In Zachry? Come on, Red! Tell us, pal! Do you stand, in one way or another, to gain from the construction of toll roads?
Eye on Williamson has more on McComb's ridiculous argument regarding anti-tollers wanting to do nothing. The reality is that we all know roads must be built. The problem is, we're the only ones not lying about how they should be financed.
I guess that's because none of us stand to gain from tolls. We actually care more about our fellow Texans than we do about a Spanish company.
Posted by mcblogger at March 14, 2007 11:14 AM
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