Movement from the Republican Party over the weekend suggested that the measure to reorganize the Texas Department of Transportation would die on the Senate and House floors because lawmakers were at odds over the state gas tax.
The Texas Republican Party, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Americans for Prosperity and the Texas Eagle Forum worked successfully to defeat a portion of the transportation bill that would have allowed county governments to hold elections to raise gas taxes by 10 cents a gallon for local projects. Officials from north Texas and San Antonio favor such a move, but those from the Houston area strongly oppose it.
State Rep. Vicki Truitt (R-Keller) is the original sponsor of the local-option proposal and said the groups made it look like a definite tax increase even though it required public approval.
Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) said he is against such a proposal because he believes in a statewide solution to transportation.
“Lets say that Montgomery County doesn’t vote to increase tax by 10 cents and Harris County does, and you have a convenience store one mile apart on each side of the line,” Patrick told the Houston Chronicle. “You’ll put one store out of business. They will drive a mile to save 10 cents a gallon. That’s a lot of money.”
The Texas Legislature adjourns on June 1, which means it would have to call a special session to move anything through if an agreement on the transportation bill cannot be reached.
