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Mass Transit & Energy Use
Money talks, Houstonians walk.
The axiom doesn’t exactly follow that path, but with a $30,000 contribution through two of his political action committees to the anti Metropolitan Transit Authority light-rail group, Texans for True Mobility, that’s what U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay essentially told his constituents, who voted in favor of Houston’s light-rail referendum in November.
DeLay made contributions through both his congressional campaign committee and his American for a Republican Majority PAC before the referendum vote.
DeLay’s anti-rail railings have never been a secret. But the congressman has vowed to not delay further progress of the rail line, but still told the Houston Chronicle “you’re taking huge amounts of transportation dollars to move a very, very small percentage of people.”
DeLay’s contribution wasn’t his only strike against the light-rail plan. Because he protested the absence of a public vote, Metro was forced, with public funds, to foot the first installment, the Main Street line, a bill worth $324 million dollars.
Local government in the form of DeLay and Rep. John Culbertson, R-Houston, aren’t the only roadblocks in the way of Metro’s light-rail progress.
A long line for federal transit funds and a hefty budget deficit stares Metro square in the face. As many as 100 projects await federal funding and Houston’s request for $420 million over six years may delay Metro’s zealous “Metro Solutions” plan, which is scheduled to begin in 2006.
According to Shirley DeLibero, the project cannot proceed without federal funding and is already short $162 million (the federal government matches local funds dollar for dollar).
DeLay’s contributions were discovered when he released his campaign finance reports; an act each publicly-elected official must follow.
Harris Country Democratic Party Chairman Perry Birnberg and two other plaintiffs have filed suit against the Texans for True Mobility in an effort to force the group to disclose names of donors; something the group currently does not have to do.
Until this discovery, DeLay’s American for a Republican Majority had mostly contributed to placing Republicans into office.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, is looking to crash some of her fellow Republicans’ party; helping the extended rail plans get rolling.
Hutchinson vows to help Metro’s plight; she sits on the federal appropriations subcommittee and will recommend more than $90 million toward Houston’s light-rail expansion plan.
© Copyright World Internet News 2006-07
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