October 20, 2003

     On November 4, 2003, Harris County voters will consider the METRO Solutions plan, which includes 72 miles of light rail and a 50% expansion of METRO’s bus service.  With traffic congestion the top local issue in our area, I support approval of METRO Solutions.  It will serve our District with light rail by including East End and Northside.

 

     Harris County residents will waste an average of 37 hours and 60 gallons of gas each year in congested traffic, according to the Texas Transportation Institute’s 2003 Urban Mobility Report.  Together we lose $2.1 billion, every year, in productivity and fuel.  And congestion has been getting worse.  In contrast, METRO Solutions has $2.8 billion for light rail over six years.

 

     Congestion impacts our air quality, and our Clean Air Act deadline is 2007.  Failure means lost jobs and federal highway funding.  I am a cosponsor of legislation with Rep. Kevin Brady to protect area projects already approved by the EPA from cancellation, but that is a band-aid, not a solution.  Success means increasing highway and road capacity, adding light rail, and expanding bus service.

 

     The non-partisan Urban Mobility Report is clear: we cannot prevent congestion from worsening by just building more highways.  I certainly support highway construction in our area, even in areas where it does not directly benefit my constituents.  Like Congressman John Culberson, I support I-10 expansion, which is already $240 million over budget at $1.7 billion.  But those of us who represent areas served by light rail cannot continue to support suburban projects like I-10 West or the Grand Parkway without reciprocal help for our communities.

 

     We cannot bet the ranch on rail.  METRO Solutions recognizes this and does not raise taxes or take money from roads; it uses bonds backed by fares and federal funding.  METRO Solutions also increases bus service by 50% and 44 new routes.  Light rail is not opposed to highways or buses, and our congestion is becoming so severe we need all available solutions.  As each year passes without action, congestion will continue to increase.

 

     Folks who do not often use public transportation wonder: what is in it for me?  But transportation is a regional problem, with congestion in one area quickly backing up and spreading to others.  We should not ask what will we ride tomorrow, but what will the thousands of new Houstonians ride in 2007?  Using all means to reduce congestion in Harris County is the only way that all will benefit.  If we limit ourselves, congestion will increase for all.

 

     Some respected local leaders, such as Congressman John Culberson and Harris County Judge Robert Eckels say METRO will go broke with METRO Solutions.  But in fact, their projections are based on a transportation bill proposed by President Bush that they oppose, has not even been introduced in Congress, and no one believes will pass Congress.  In addition, METRO has reserve funds to cover much of this phony discrepancy.

 

     We can afford METRO Solutions and get the best plan for expanding light rail and bus service.  But METRO doesn’t build highways.  For new and expanded area highways we must take two actions in Congress. 

 

     First, we must return more of the gas tax that Texans pay to Texas.  I am a cosponsor of legislation with Majority Leader Tom DeLay to return 95% instead of the current 88%.  Passage of this legislation is basic fairness that will increase Texas’ share of the federal highway pie. 

 

     However, the federal gas tax does not keep pace with inflation.  To allow for more, faster highway construction the federal gas tax can be indexed to inflation, as in the proposal by Republican Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young.  Federal gas tax revenues are not controlled by Congress and automatically pay for transportation infrastructure.  Although we might like to, it will be nearly impossible to increase Texas’ share of the highway pie in Congress, without allowing the pie to grow with inflation.

 

     If voters approve METRO Solutions and Congress acts sensibly, highways, light rail, and buses will be a win, win, win combination for Harris County. 

 

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