Lawmakers file flurry of misguided bills to derail the Dallas-to-Houston bullet train
February 24th, 2017
February 23, 2017 - Dallas Morning News Editorial
The Texas bullet train project is moving ahead, hitting milestones and keeping alive the audacious promise of a 90-minute train ride between Dallas and Houston. But yet again, a big potential roadblock has emerged in Austin.
This week, lawmakers filed over 20 bills that could slow the privately funded project or even kill it. Opponents appear more organized than two years ago when they tried to derail the program and failed.
One bill calls for a government feasibility study; another requires a state designation to survey property. Multiple bills would ban state money, even though the owners, Texas Central Partners, have pledged to not seek any grants for the $12 billion project. The most threatening legislation would prevent Texas Central from using the power of eminent domain at all.
Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2017/02/23/lawmakers-file-flurry-misguided-bills-derail-dallas-houston-bullet-train
The Texas bullet train project is moving ahead, hitting milestones and keeping alive the audacious promise of a 90-minute train ride between Dallas and Houston. But yet again, a big potential roadblock has emerged in Austin.
This week, lawmakers filed over 20 bills that could slow the privately funded project or even kill it. Opponents appear more organized than two years ago when they tried to derail the program and failed.
One bill calls for a government feasibility study; another requires a state designation to survey property. Multiple bills would ban state money, even though the owners, Texas Central Partners, have pledged to not seek any grants for the $12 billion project. The most threatening legislation would prevent Texas Central from using the power of eminent domain at all.
Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2017/02/23/lawmakers-file-flurry-misguided-bills-derail-dallas-houston-bullet-train