In the wake of the Chamber’s Task Force report press conference, CAMPO Executive Director Michael Aulick emphasized the importance of getting accurate information to the CAMPO Transportation Policy board so they can make solid policy decisions in an interview with the Austin Chronicle.

For example, with regard to the toll-road plan, Aulick syas the CAMPO board needs to understand the enormity of the funding shortfall as well as what tolling means in terms of what other transportation infrastructure could be built with the revenue.

Accurate information has been hindered by misinterpretation and misunderstandings. Recently much has been made of November 2006 study by the Governor’s Business Council on the competitiveness of Texas’ metropolitan areas that included road issues. Toll road opponents latched onto reports that claimed the study indicated that an indexed gasoline tax could pay for additional roads. That is not true.

“What most newspaper reports missed, though, was that the gas tax was intended to close the gap between toll roads and overall need, Aulick said.” In fact, the gas tax could only cover a fraction of the projected needs of eight Texas urban areas.

The fallout due to the backlash over inaccurate reports concerning the study carried over to the CAMPO Board members who subsequently began question the need for the Phase II toll roads. To reduce future incidents, Aulick recommends, in accordance with the Chamber’s Task Force report, is a stronger and more involved Technical Committee which the Board can rely on for guidance.

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