Lawmakers propose new plan for regional rail system

WFAA-TV
February 16, 2009

DALLAS - A group of lawmakers is expected to unveil an ambitious plan on how to pay for a costly regional rail system that would run across North Texas.

It would cost $340 million a year for 15 years to build the 215-mile system, but lawmakers say the project is long overdue.

Two years ago, state lawmakers shot down a local option one cent sales tax to fund the regional rail. Now, Sen. John Carona, of District 16 in Dallas, and Rep. Vicki Truitt, of District 98 in Tarrant County, are expected to introduce legislation they hope taxpayers will embrace.

Melissa Bittner drove nearly 40 miles from Flower Mound to downtown Fort Worth for an afternoon coffee. She said she would have rather taken a train, but that isn't yet an option.

"I think it's very badly needed," she said. "I used to live in Europe and used the rails a lot, and we really need something like that."

That may soon be a reality. The proposed Rail North Texas project would have 11 commuter rail lines that travel as far north as McKinney. It would also travel south to Cleburne and Waxahachie.

"We have made Rail North Texas our number one legislative initiative for the coming year," said Jungas Jordan, a Fort Worth city council member on the Regional Transportation Council.

Monday morning, a group of lawmakers is expected to introduce the Texas Local Transportation Act. The act would create a transportation district made up of 12 counties, which would have the power to levy taxes and fees in order to fund the Rail North Texas project and other roadway improvements.

"We recently, in Fort Worth, held a series of town hall meetings that we call 'Let's Talk Fort Worth,'" Jordan said. "The number one issue with our citizens in Fort Worth was mobility and the need for a transit
system."

Under the Rail North Texas proposal, voters would have six different ways to pay, which would include a vehicle registration fee, gas tax, mileage fee, property tax, driver's license fee or a new resident impact fee. The list of options is expected to generate more support than the transportation funding legislation that was proposed back in 2005 and 2007

"It failed previously because it was focused around sales tax, and there was some opposition to the sales tax initiative," Jordan said. "And we feel that we've come up with a proposal that provides a user fee, if you will, for transportation."

The proposed fees will have to get voter approval first.

While the project has nothing to do with the Obama infrastructure stimulus dollars, the newly created district would use any stimulus money counties receive before they go to taxpayers.

If the proposed legislation overcomes all hurdles, some of the Rail North Texas lines may be complete as soon as 2013

Sen. Carona and Rep. Truitt are the champions of the legislation. They will unveil the plan at 9:00 a.m. at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Administration Building.