Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWS Item 02 - Legislative Agenda STEM - � ME tIO TC3� HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF,THE CITY COUNCIL ,FROM; BRUNO R1MBELOW, CITY i'1ilANAGERJ MEETING DATE:, - MARCH 2Q, 2007 SUBJECT: WORKSHOP UPDATE ON,TRANSPORTATION AND SELECTIVE LEGISLATIVE ISSUES City,Stewill brief the City Council on the Comprehensive Oeuel4pmeat Agreement (CAA) moratorium issue that was raised in the Texas Legislature this past week and other IecJislatiue imes't© bring you current on the 2007 Legislative Session: JSL MEMO TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: BRUNO RUMBELOW, CITY MANAGER" SUBJECT: CDA LEGISLATION, SI3 1267 & H13 277 DATE: 3-12-07 Legislation has been introduced into both the House and Senate that would place a 2 year moratorium on CDA's(Comprehensive Development Agreements)with TxDOT for the funding, design and construction of Major Highway Improvements. Letters are being drafted to the authors of the respective bills as well as our delegation in the [-louse and Senate opposing the moratorium. There is a significant amount of private equity investment interests currently focusing on Texas CDA projects. TxDOT just recently announced the award of a CDA for the construction and tolling of,the main lanes of SH 121 from The Colony to McKinney. One major concern with this moratorium is that the private interests will take their investment capital,elsewhere if a moratorium is placed on CDA projects here. Given the nationwide demand for capital investment in transportation infrastructure,this source of revenue would be lost to Texas until 2009 at the very least and perhaps for a much longer time. The DFW Connector(Grapevine Funnel)as well as many other projects in Tarrant County including SH 183, IH 35W,and IH 820 have only a small toll component in their overall scope. A blanket moratorium on CDA's would delay the DFW Connector that we have been working so hard with TxDOT to develop and see under construction.' By utilizing CDA's, TxDOT is able to accelerate the process,get the improvements on the ground sooner, relieve the congestion that our residents must endure daily, and reduce the estimated $'800 Million cast by approximately$25 Million. e are stressing that specific concerns with CDA terms should be addressed with legislation which utilizes a narrow focus in defining reasonable limits or parameters on those issues rather than with a moratorium. The broad brush approach of a moratorium on CDAs reflected in SB 1267 & HB 2772 will be very damaging to our region. The moratorium would likely result in much higher project costs due to inflation as well as the costs in terms of economic lass, driver delay, and air pollution in our region. With the flurry of bills regarding transportation filed this past week, there may be some indication that the hard line moratorium mindset may be returning to a more middle ground approach to address the various concerns.