October 20, 2014

Newspaper editorial boards across Texas have taken a good look at the Proposition 1 Constitutional Amendment and are universally giving it a bright green light. Here are some of the points they make in urging voters to pass the amendment.  Election day is November 4th and early voting runs through October 31.

San Antonio Express-New

“Texas finds itself behind the transportation eight ball for a number of reasons.  There has been an over-reliance on debt to address transportation needs, and the gas tax has remained at 20 cents per gallon since 1990… Proposition 1 is a critical first step toward fully addressing Texas’ transportation needs.  Voters should approve it.”

Austin American-Statesman

“We strongly recommend voters support the state’s Proposition 1… We encourage them to do so without hesitation… Approving Proposition 1 not only will help fund highways and roads but will help maintain Texas’ economic competitiveness and save and add jobs… Most of the money TxDOT has spent over the past decade or so repairing roads and building new ones has been borrowed – a break from the past when the state paid as it went.  TxDOT’s ability to borrow is nearly exhausted, and with $18 billion on the state credit card, debt payments are greater than the amount of money available for new construction… By approving it, voters would give the state a constitutionally enshrined highway funding mechanism that would get Texas about a third of the way to the $5 billion (a year) TxDOT says it needs.”

 

Corpus Christi Caller-Times

“The unmet need for road upkeep and improvement is evident to Texans whenever they drive around.  They should welcome the opportunity to approve Proposition 1 on the statewide ballot… A vote in favor of Proposition 1 is a vote in favor of what the state should have been doing already… We know “unmet needs” is redundant.  But it’s also emphatic, as is the need to pass the proposition.”

El Paso Times

“Texas is on the verge of a transportation funding crisis.  Voters have an opportunity to lessen, though not cure, the problem… Proposition 1 will provide only about a quarter of the funding needed to keep traffic congestion from getting worse in Texas…Proposition 1 is far from a solution to Texas’ transportation needs.  But it is a critical step, and the state’s transportation system will be in far more dire condition if it does not pass… It is a necessary measure to keep Texas’ transportation infrastructure from degrading even more.”

Houston Chronicle

“Texans also know that the elected representatives they dispatch to Austin to address the state’s basic concerns seem to care only about the next election, not long-term needs. Otherwise, they would not have resorted to the latest Rube Goldberg Texas-style scheme to meet the state’s increasingly urgent transportation crisis. It’s Proposition 1, a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot. We recommend, reluctantly, a yes vote, although we were tempted by no. As Houstonians, we are well aware that the need is urgent, but a vote against the proposition would be a protest vote against the craven and irresponsible way our lawmakers respond to the state’s basic transportation requirements. Ultimately, we concluded that a no vote would be irresponsible, as well. Proposition 1 is inadequate, as even its supporters concede, and yet the consequences of not passing it likely would be dire… Proposition 1, albeit inadequate, is a necessary first step. Beyond Proposition 1, we need a steady, straight-forward funding mechanism to meet the demands of this prosperous, growing state. We need lawmakers who’ll stand up and do the right thing.”

Dallas Morning News

“Texas will still need a steady, longer-range funding mechanism to meet the demands of a booming population. That’s a question for another day. The question Nov. 4 will be yes or no on Prop 1. The common-sense answer is yes.”

 Longview News Journal

“Proposition 1 is not the whole solution to our state’s transportation needs. But it is a critical first step. Voters should approve it, then tell lawmakers to support serious discussion of ways to increase revenue and stop increasing debt.”

Amarillo Globe-News

“Does this constitutional amendment solve all of the state’s funding problems as far as adequate roads?  No, but it is a step in a process that is needed for the state’s economic infrastructure, and roads and highways certainly fall into that category.  Most constitutional amendments are successful in Texas. For the future of Texas, this amendment needs similar voter support.”

McAllen Monitor

“We believe it’s in the best interest of our state for voters this November to support Proposition 1.”