Item 4ECITY OF
SOUTH LADE
MEMORANDUM
(November 2, 2010)
To: Shana Yelverton, City Manager
From: Robert H. Price, P.E., Director of Public Works
Subject: Resolution No. 10 -056, Adopt Transportation Advocates of
Texas, Inc. Resolution endorsing a statewide education
campaign to inform Texans of statewide transportation needs
and urging the 82" Texas Legislature to enact revenue
measures to fund investment needed to improve Texas
transportation.
Action
Requested: Resolution No. 10 -056, Adopt Transportation Advocates of Texas,
Inc. Resolution endorsing a statewide education campaign to
inform Texans of statewide transportation needs and urging the
82 Texas Legislature to enact revenue measures to fund
investment needed to improve Texas transportation.
Background
Information: Transportation Advocates of Texas, Inc., (TATI) a growing
statewide coalition of individuals, businesses, associations, regional
organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development
entities and local governments, was established in January 2010
with one common agenda: to improve transportation in Texas.
TATI is building a grassroots movement that will empower citizens
and businesses across the state to advocate for increased
transportation investments that will preserve our quality of life and
support our economic vitality.
Vic Suhm, Executive Director of the Tarrant Regional
Transportation Coalition also serves as Vice - Chairman of the
Transportation Advocates of Texas, Inc. On behalf of TATI, Inc, he
has respectfully requested the City of Southlake to adopt the
attached resolution.
The ability to move people, services and goods across the state,
otherwise known as Transportation continues to be one of the
major challenges for the State and local governments. The basic
fact is that there are just not enough financial resources to
construct the necessary infrastructure. No matter what
transportation solution is developed, it will require additional
financial resources. It is important that the transportation issue be
on the forefront when it comes to solution development. The State
of Texas is falling behind in the area of transportation as more and
more people and businesses move to the state because of its
stable economy. This continued influx of people and businesses
taxes the state transportation system.
The key to persuading the Texas Legislature to take action to
develop additional funding mechanisms for transportation lies in the
education of the state's citizenry. TATI, Inc. was created to develop
an education program to bring to light the statewide transportation
issue and the need for additional funding to address the problem.
Furthermore, TATI, Inc. will endeavor to work with the 82 Texas
Legislature to enact revenue measures to fund investment needed
to improve Texas transportation.
Financial
Considerations: No funding is required for the adoption of this Resolution.
Strategic Link: The adoption of this resolution links to the city's strategy map
relative to the focus areas of Mobility, Infrastructure, and
Performance Management and Service Delivery. The specific
corporate objectives that are met by this adoption of this resolution
include: Providing travel convenience within city and region; and
providing high quality customer service.
Citizen Input/
Board Review: N/A
Legal Review: No review by the City Attorney's office id necessary.
Alternatives: The City Council may approve or deny the adoption of this
resolution.
Supporting
Documents: Resolution 10 -056
TATI, Inc. Board of Directors
Possible statewide transportation solutions
Staff
Contact: Robert H. Price, P. E., Public Works Director
Gordon J. Mayer, Jr., P.E., City Engineer
RESOLUTION 10 -056
ENDORSING THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO INFORM TEXANS OF
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND URGING THE 82 TEXAS
LEGISLATURE TO ENACT REVENUE MEASURES
TO FUND TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT
WHEREAS, a statewide coalition - Transportation Advocates of Texas, Inc. - is carrying out a
public information campaign to inform Texans of transportation needs and to develop a
consensus agenda to improve our state's transportation system; and
WHEREAS, without new revenue or diversion of needed maintenance funding, there will be no
new funding for added transportation capacity in Texas beginning in 2012; and
WHEREAS, Texas is adding more population annually than any other state and its metropolitan
areas are adding more population than other U.S. regions; and
WHEREAS, the condition of Texas roadways is declining because of underinvestment in
maintenance and rehabilitation; and
WHEREAS, delays from traffic congestion are increasing because of underinvestment in
infrastructure to provide the capacity to serve population growth; and
WHEREAS, the quality of life of Texans declines to the extent that transportation fails to move
people and goods efficiently; and
WHEREAS, failing to provide for a transportation system that moves people and goods
efficiently jeopardizes the strength and vitality of the Texas economy; and
WHEREAS, moving people and goods safely and efficiently requires a large, on -going
investment; and
WHEREAS, current transportation revenues are too low to fund Texas' priority transportation
needs; and
WHEREAS, Texans want and deserve transportation improvements that enhance mobility,
improve air quality, relieve gridlock, maintain existing infrastructure and energize the Texas
economy.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE that:
Section 1. The City of Southlake endorses the statewide education campaign to inform Texans
of transportation needs and to develop a consensus agenda to improve Texas transportation and
encourages Texans to participate in the transportation conversation.
Section 2. The City of Southlake urges the 82 Texas Legislature to enact revenue measures to
fund investment needed to improve Texas transportation.
Section 3. A copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Texas Legislature and Governor,
to media and to Transportation Advocates of Texas, Inc.
Adopted this 2nd day of November, 2010.
DATE APPROVED:
City of Southlake Mayor
ATTEST:
City of Southlake City Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
TRANSPORTATION ADVOCATES OF TEXAS, INC.
Texans working together to secure resources for transportation investment
to enhance mobility, improve air quality, relieve gridlock, maintain
existing infrastructure, and energize the Texas economy.
Transportation Advocates of Texas, Inc. is a growing statewide coalition of individuals,
businesses, associations, regional organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development
entities and local governments with one common agenda: to improve transportation in Texas.
The coalition is engaged in an education process to inform Texans of transportation needs and
challenges, to discuss possible solutions, and to develop a consensus transportation agenda for
the 82 Texas Legislature.
Transportation Advocates of Texas, Inc.
Board of Directors
Region
Representative
Arlington /Fort Worth
Vic Suhm, Executive Director, Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition
Austin
Beth Ann Ray, Vice President, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
Corpus Christi
Judy Hawley, Commissioner, Port of Corpus Christi
Dallas
Rider Scott, Executive Director, Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition
East Texas
John Thompson, Polk County Judge
El Paso
Mica Espinoza, Vice President, El Paso Chamber of Commerce
Houston
Jennifer McEwan, consultant, Gulf Coast Regional Mobility Partners
Laredo
Keith Selman, Metropolitan Planning Organization Director, Laredo
Northeast Texas
James Carlow, Bowie County Judge
Panhandle/West Texas
Michael Reeves, President, Ports -to- Plains Alliance
San Antonio
Vic Boyer, Executive Director, San Antonio Mobility Coalition
South Texas / Valley
Pat Townsend, President, Rio Grande Partnership
Corporate Sponsors
Williams Brothers Construction Co
Doug Pitcock (Bob Lanham, alternate)
BNSF Railway
Dennis Kearns
Texas Council of Engineering Co's
Steve Stagner (Peyton McKnight alternate)
Texas Conference of Urban Counties
Donald Lee (Michael Vasquez alternate)
San Antonio Medical Center Alliance
Jim Reed
Civil Engineering Consultants
Don Durden
Port of Corpus Christi
Judy Hawle
Executive Committee
Chairman
Jim Reed
Vice Chairman
Vic Suhm
Secretary
Beth Ann Ray
Treasurer
Jennifer McEwan
Possible Solutions
Texans need to decide what level of transportation they wish to pay for and what means they wish to use
to make that payment. If we continue on our current course with the planned level of transportation
revenue and expenditures, then Texans will be paying with their time, vehicle repairs, commodity prices,
air pollution, lost economic growth opportunities, tolls, vehicle registration fee and motor fuel tax. If
Texans decide they wish to improve transportation and to pay a higher tax or fee to fund transportation
improvements, then they will pay less with their time, commodity prices, air pollution, and lost economic
growth opportunities. Texans need to decide what they want and how they want to pay for it; then they
must convey that decision to their elected state senator and state representative.
There are numerous revenue options from which the Texas Legislature can choose in deciding how to
fund transportation, depending upon which their constituents are willing to support, including:
• Eliminating the state sales tax exemption on motor fuel
• Eliminating the local sales tax exemption on motor fuel
• Increasing the annual state vehicle registration fee
• Authorizing an additional county vehicle registration fee
• Authorizing a state mobility improvement fee (a vehicle registration fee that is applied only to annual
renewals, not at the time of vehicle purchase)
• Authorizing a county mobility improvement fee (a vehicle registration fee that is applied only to
annual renewals, not at the time of vehicle purchase)
• Increasing the rate of the state tax on motor fuel
• Authorizing counties to levy a county tax on motor fuel subject to voter approval of a ballot listing
specific transportation improvement projects
• Incrementally reducing the use of motor fuel tax and vehicle registration fee revenue to fund the
Department of Public Safety
• Authorizing any county to establish a county toll authority or to join with adjacent counties in a
regional toll authority
• Expanding the ability to use reinvestment zones to fund transportation, i.e., authorize cities and
counties to capture the growth increment in local property taxes and/or local sales taxes for
investment in transportation projects
• Indexing the tax on motor fuels
• Utilizing public private partnerships to attract private equity
• Enacting a vehicle miles traveled fee (realistically this option is best enacted by the federal
government following satisfactory resolution of related issues)