Any holiday that focuses on family food and football just has to have the word Thanks in it right?
Im probably still digesting something. But call it serving leftovers I did want to make sure you saw a couple of things that happened last week.
Out on a Rail
Over the last few months Ive been involved in a long-running dispute with guess who the Texas Department of Transportation. This time its over TxDOTs apparent efforts to keep the state comptroller from certifying a budget measure that would put money into the Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund which voters created in 2005 but the states budget writers have never funded.
The budget measure was based on a bill I filed during the last legislative session to dedicate certain streams of transportation money to the rail fund (transportation money going to transportation what a concept). I worked hard with TxDOT to create a bill that would provide money to important rail projects while protecting the states highway funding.
In recent weeks however the department has latched onto a technicality arguing that it should prevent the money from going to rail relocation.
It gets a little complex so check out this article if you want to learn more about it. But suffice it to say that once again TxDOT is setting a new standard for arrogance and a lack of transparency.
The P stands for Planning
The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) which I chair has undertaken an unprecedented approach to planning. CAMPO is a regional organization that is the areas primary transportation planning entity. Were in the process of updating the regions 25-year plan.
Im very proud of the approach were taking. Its different than whats been done in the past. The Chronicle ran a piece about whats going on last Thursday. You can read it here.
The Childrens Zone
Finally I wanted to be sure youd seen this editorial about an important effort to launch a far-reaching pilot project that would lift up an Austin community and provide new opportunity to the kids growing up there.
Its known as the Promise Neighborhood Initiative; you can read more about it here. Ill have a lot more to say about this effort in the coming weeks and months. But suffice it to say its an amazing chance maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a difference for children in this community.
Any holiday that focuses on family food and football just has to have the word Thanks in it right?
Im probably still digesting something. But call it serving leftovers I did want to make sure you saw a couple of things that happened last week.
Out on a Rail
Over the last few months Ive been involved in a long-running dispute with guess who the Texas Department of Transportation. This time its over TxDOTs apparent efforts to keep the state comptroller from certifying a budget measure that would put money into the Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund which voters created in 2005 but the states budget writers have never funded.
The budget measure was based on a bill I filed during the last legislative session to dedicate certain streams of transportation money to the rail fund (transportation money going to transportation what a concept). I worked hard with TxDOT to create a bill that would provide money to important rail projects while protecting the states highway funding.
In recent weeks however the department has latched onto a technicality arguing that it should prevent the money from going to rail relocation.
It gets a little complex so check out this article if you want to learn more about it. But suffice it to say that once again TxDOT is setting a new standard for arrogance and a lack of transparency.
The P stands for Planning
The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) which I chair has undertaken an unprecedented approach to planning. CAMPO is a regional organization that is the areas primary transportation planning entity. Were in the process of updating the regions 25-year plan.
Im very proud of the approach were taking. Its different than whats been done in the past. The Chronicle ran a piece about whats going on last Thursday. You can read it here.
The Childrens Zone
Finally I wanted to be sure youd seen this editorial about an important effort to launch a far-reaching pilot project that would lift up an Austin community and provide new opportunity to the kids growing up there.
Its known as the Promise Neighborhood Initiative; you can read more about it here. Ill have a lot more to say about this effort in the coming weeks and months. But suffice it to say its an amazing chance maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make a difference for children in this community.
