Chair of TX House Transportation Committee Talks Up Need for More Funding and Potential New Toll Legislation

Abilene Reporter-News reports, “Even though Texas voters have dedicated billions to transportation in recent years, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee [Joe Pickett (D-79)] on [December 7] said new money needs to be found if the state is to ease chronic congestion in its cities. The statement might come as a disappointment to voters who last year overwhelmingly supported Proposition 7, which dedicates more than $2.5 billion a year in sales tax revenue to transportation. In 2014, voters also passed a measure that is now adding about $1 billion a year in oil-and-gas severance tax revenue to transportation.”

Time Warner Cable News Austin talks with Chairman Pickett and Representative Celia Israel (D-50) about tolling legislation in the Texas Legislature’s forthcoming session. (The discussion starts at 8:38 in the video.)