Headlines
TX: State considers existing roads for toll project
NC: Ready for pay-as-you-go highways?
IN: Indiana toll road largesse – editorial
VA: City plans to privatize Roanoke civic center
MI: School district looks at privatizing transport
FL: Union’s ‘counterproposal’ deserves attention – editorial

[click on ‘continued reading’ link for articles]

News Summaries
TX: State considers existing roads for toll project
Responding to concerns that a superhighway project running from East
Texas to the border with Mexico could cut through private lands, state
transportation officials said Tuesday that they will only consider
putting it along existing roads. State officials have held almost 50
public meetings and received about 28,000 responses from residents
about the proposed Interstate 69 project, which would be part of the
so-called Trans-Texas Corridor network of toll roads. Opponents of the
Trans-Texas Corridor characterize it as the largest government grab of
private property in the state’s history and an unneeded and improper
expansion of toll roads. Austin American-Statesman
NC: Ready for pay-as-you-go highways?
The start of the toll road era is just days away unless public opinion
sways the minds of legislators either now or before the roads
eventually open. If nothing changes the course we are on, get ready to
pay-as-you-go. When a toll road company or authority has toll targets,
you can bet your last dollar for gas that they will be lobbying or have
written into contracts that alternative routes can’t compete too much
so as to lower toll revenues. Charlotte Observer
IN: Indiana toll road largesse – editorial
It certainly was noble of state legislators (well, most of them) to
decline offers of free passes on the Indiana Toll Road days after the
new private operator doubled the tolls. In a state whose lawmakers
consistently lead the nation in lobbying license, it actually is remarkable
how few turned down yet another perk of public self-service. After all,
if the venerable tradition of gratis meals, sports tickets and golf outings
from special interests hasn’t incited enough voter outrage to cause significant
turnover in the Indiana General Assembly, what’s 150 or so transponders
among friends? The Indianapolis Star
VA: City plans to privatize Roanoke civic center
The City of Roanoke plans to hire a private management company to take
over the Roanoke Civic Center. At this point there are no guarantees
those employees will keep their jobs. In fact, there’s a chance
they’ll have to reapply with the new company. WDBJ7 (Roanoke)
MI: School district looks at privatizing transport
More than $1 million may have to be cut to balance next school year’s
budget, Albion school officials predicted Tuesday. Vickie Reed, the
district’s controller, recommended $387,000 in cuts — which included
trimming 10 percent of the athletic program and looking at privatizing
transportation — but said another $650,000 would still need to be cut.
MILive.com
FL: Union’s ‘counterproposal’ deserves attention – editorial
Representatives of the Teamsters Union, confronted by Collier County
Public Schools’ interest in privatizing its 250-member crew of custodians,
say they can show how to trim $3 million from current costs. That sum is
the round number held up as the school system’s savings goal of outsourcing.
Even better, union officials have told the editorial board of the Daily News,
the cost savings can be achieved without sacrificing employees’ health-insurance
coverage, which some of the six private bidders say they would do if they get
the contract which is due for a School Board decision next week. Naples Daily News