Senate Committee To Hear From Public On Transportation Policy

[Press Release from Texas Senate Committee On Transportation And Homeland Security]
Austin, Texas - Senator John Carona, Chairman of the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security, today announced a special hearing to take public testimony on transportation policy.

“We have initiated some sweeping changes in transportation policy over the last four years,” said Carona.
“The state has aggressively pursued a new toll policy, rapidly expanded the use of public-private partnerships for transportation infrastructure, and accelerated the process of developing the Trans Texas Corridor. In the process, we clearly have not fully heard or taken into consideration the views of the public. Before we go any further, the policy makers need to hear from the people.”

The hearing will be held March 1, 2007, in the Extension Auditorium of the State Capitol in Austin. The hearing will begin at 8:30 AM and is expected to go until 6:00 PM. To give as many people as possible the opportunity to testify, each witness will be limited to three minutes of oral testimony. There is no limit on the amount of written testimony a witness may submit.
“Except for a few expert witnesses, the hearing is dedicated to listening to public concerns,” said Carona.
“Anyone at all who wants to testify can submit a quick witness form in advance of the hearing, or at the hearing.”
The committee will hear from Dennis Enright, a principal at the NW Financial Group in Jersey City, New Jersey who is recognized as an expert in public-private transportation partnerships, and will also give the Texas Transportation Commission an opportunity to testify.
Witness forms are available from the committee office at (512) 463-0067, on the committee website at
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/commit/c640/c640.ht , by fax via (512) 463-2840 or by email
from john.webb_sc@senate.state.tx.us .