The Aggie Student Senate and politicians don't outweigh public opinion on high speed rail
March 3rd, 2016
We purposely waited a few weeks to see if the outcome of a public poll that was conducted by The Eagle, a newspaper in Bryan/College Station, would significantly change. The answer is no.
By an almost 3-1 majority the readers of the Brazos Valley newspaper still want a high speed train to run between Dallas and Houston with a stop between Bryan/College Station and Huntsville.
Last month, bolstered by rural state representatives, senators and county officials out to kill a high speed rail project under development by Texas Central Partners, the Texas A&M Student Senate passed a resolution that opposed building the railroad. Only one person spoke in favor of the high speed rail line, a representative from the privately-financed Texas Central. Other parties such as Texas Rail Advocates and other pro-rail organizations were not invited to speak before the student senate. Only the nay-sayers.
The online public poll, which was conducted by the newspaper, showed that the public had a completely different take than the politicians and Aggie student senate. 72.1% of those taking the poll voted in favor of high speed rail, 23.5% opposed the train and 4.4% were undecided.
The elected officials centered their opposition to high speed rail on the issue of eminent domain. Speaking before the student senate State Senator Charles Schwertner, State Representatives Trent Ashby and John Wray, County Judges Ben Leman (Grimes) and Trey Duhon (Waller) and Texans Against High Speed Rail President Kyle Workman all said that their areas would be impacted by the high speed rail project.
In the past Texas Central said that most of the line would be along existing electric utility corridors where high-voltage towers already impact the countryside. The company indicated that it would only require up to a 100 foot easement along the power line corridor for two tracks. A Texas Central spokesperson indicated that since they a private concern, they are not limited to compensating land owners for use of their property, unlike a cap that a government entity would pay.
Going back to 2009 a proposal for a taxpayer financed high speed rail project nicknamed the Texas T-Bone was welcomed by federal, state, regional and local leaders across the countryside. Yes, the word was "taxpayer" funded. Note the irony now of a "private" corporation willing to spend over $10 billion dollars to build a high speed train to whisk passengers between Houston, the Brazos Valley and Dallas and getting massive push back a few years later.
Is there something we are missing in this scenario?
By an almost 3-1 majority the readers of the Brazos Valley newspaper still want a high speed train to run between Dallas and Houston with a stop between Bryan/College Station and Huntsville.
Last month, bolstered by rural state representatives, senators and county officials out to kill a high speed rail project under development by Texas Central Partners, the Texas A&M Student Senate passed a resolution that opposed building the railroad. Only one person spoke in favor of the high speed rail line, a representative from the privately-financed Texas Central. Other parties such as Texas Rail Advocates and other pro-rail organizations were not invited to speak before the student senate. Only the nay-sayers.
The online public poll, which was conducted by the newspaper, showed that the public had a completely different take than the politicians and Aggie student senate. 72.1% of those taking the poll voted in favor of high speed rail, 23.5% opposed the train and 4.4% were undecided.
The elected officials centered their opposition to high speed rail on the issue of eminent domain. Speaking before the student senate State Senator Charles Schwertner, State Representatives Trent Ashby and John Wray, County Judges Ben Leman (Grimes) and Trey Duhon (Waller) and Texans Against High Speed Rail President Kyle Workman all said that their areas would be impacted by the high speed rail project.
In the past Texas Central said that most of the line would be along existing electric utility corridors where high-voltage towers already impact the countryside. The company indicated that it would only require up to a 100 foot easement along the power line corridor for two tracks. A Texas Central spokesperson indicated that since they a private concern, they are not limited to compensating land owners for use of their property, unlike a cap that a government entity would pay.
Going back to 2009 a proposal for a taxpayer financed high speed rail project nicknamed the Texas T-Bone was welcomed by federal, state, regional and local leaders across the countryside. Yes, the word was "taxpayer" funded. Note the irony now of a "private" corporation willing to spend over $10 billion dollars to build a high speed train to whisk passengers between Houston, the Brazos Valley and Dallas and getting massive push back a few years later.
Is there something we are missing in this scenario?