As local leaders here in Houston continue to struggle with the budget and overspending, the Harris County Toll Road System is the gift that keeps on giving.
According to the latest data, the HCTRS made $400 million in profit last year.
"And this has now become an absolute slush fund for Harris County Commissioner's to spend on other uses" said Terri Hall, founder & director of Texans for Toll Free Highways, "It's a rigged game, it's against taxpayers, it's not good fiscal policy, and these tolls need to come off the road."
But the tolls have not stopped. In fact, so far this year the Harris County Toll Road System has taken in $94 million in profit.
"That's not what government's supposed to be about, they're not supposed to be a profit making center, they're supposed to use our tax money to build and maintain our public infrastructure" Hall told KTRH, "So, it's basically taking from drivers more than is needed to even pay for the system and go spend it on other things."
She is calling on Texas lawmakers to step up this session. House Bill 2323 is the latest attempt to remove the tolls once the road is paid for. As for it's support, we shall see. There has been similar legislation presented in Austin for several years.
As political commentator Bill King notes on his blog, we know very little about how those profits are used, and there have been increasing questions about whether they are being used effectively and appropriately.