If an outsider may drop an observation into the mix...

The State of Illinois Tollway system is one example of how slippery a slope using tolls can become...at the expense of both the taxpayer in the state as well as placing a significant economic burden on all potential out-of-state users of the highway system in Texas. Trucking companies have fled Illinois in droves for a variety of reasons and toll expenses certainly are a part of that decision.

If I may suggest to anyone doubting the dangers involved with turning to a tollway system to fund your highway infrastructure. go to your favorite search engine and type in keywords such as corruption, illinois, tollway, statistics (toss in others at will! LOL!) It is there you will discover things like Blago spending $480,000 on new tollway signage with his name all over it...at the cost of $15,000 a piece.

Then think about whether or not you want these types of expenses being approved in your annual budget.

I can only wish you success in preventing this revenue source from sprouting from your State Ledger, for I am not a Texas citizen and cannot vote against it and roads must be paid for with some sort of financial tool.

3:25 PM  

I like the idea about not being able to use land obtained through eminent domain on projects that produce profit for private business / people.

I don't agree with Van Os on only being able to use eminent domain for public security and saftey. In reality we are ultimatley trying to avoid having private individuals loose their lands, so that others can make a profit. If you just prohibit eminate domain used for profit, you don't have to limit the boundaries of eminent domain.

Eminet domain is not a evil that need to be limited. Instead eminet domain is a means to accomplish social services, which has been used by others to line their pockets. Instead of eliminating eminent domain, eliminate the ability to use emiminent domain for profit.

12:51 AM  

The city of Clear Lake is trying to use eminent domain to prevent the loss of green space (a defunct golf course) that the owners want to try to sell. The owners came in, bought it, owned it legally just long enough, and hoped to sell it to developers. Clear Lake is arguing we need the green space for flood control, and we do! Eminent Domain has its place when used correctly. Please word any consitutional amendment with care. There are governing agencies out there who use it as it was meant to be used. To protect the public.

8:56 PM