Friday, Nov. 14, 2008

Officials Plan for Larger Rail System

By Nicholas Sakelaris

Staff Writer

Transportation leaders took a dramatic step this month to pay for a regional commuter rail system.

The Regional Transportation Council voted Nov. 6 in favor of the Rail North Texas plan that could lead to the creation of a new Transportation District.

But members could not agree whether the district would focus entirely on rail or expand to include road projects, including some for cities that have already committed funds for rail, such as Grapevine. Other members expressed concern that the district could add additional bureaucracy that isn’t needed. They argued that the district would conflict with existing transportation authorities like Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, also known as The T.

The final vote was 26 in favor of both rail and roadways, 13 opposed and four absent.

A Transportation District would be similar to existing water districts or community college districts that can levy fees and taxes, with voter approval, issue debt for projects and pay for operations.

The next step will be for local leaders to lobby the Texas Legislature before it convenes in January. If the legislature agrees, individual counties, including Tarrant and Denton, could be asked to vote as soon as November, 2009 on the items, similar to a bond election.

The menu of options being considered include higher vehicle registration fees [$150 per vehicle], gas taxes [10 cents per gallon], property taxes [5 cents per $100 of assessed value] and new resident fees [$250 per year] to fund specific commuter rail and roadway projects.

This could be a way for cities like Colleyville that are along the Cotton Belt line to join in the passenger rail that’s planned to start by 2012. The ultimate goal of Rail North Texas, which formed in February, is to build hundreds of miles of regional passenger rail throughout the Metroplex.

Cities such as Grapevine, who have already voted to participate and pay their share for a transit station, could get other benefits from the plans, such as needed highway and road improvements, said Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Michael Muhm, who is on the Colleyville Rail Citizens Committee, said the vehicle, gas and license fees could easily add up to an extra $600 to $1,000 for a family with four cars. Many workers are getting to the point where they’re "taxed out" because they’re not getting raises or they’re getting laid off and taking lower-paying jobs, Muhm said.

"It’s the checkbook driving everything," Muhm said. "We just keep piling [taxes and fees] on."

Jungus Jordan, a Fort Worth council member who sits on the RTC, acknowledges that the idea will generate opposition.

"We are going to have to prove to our voters that we have been fiscally responsible," Jordan said. "We want to stop diversions. We are willing to go to our voters to supplement the mobility needs of our region."

Mark Enoch, board member with DART, said he wanted the initiative to focus on entirely on rail.

"We cannot build it fast enough," Enoch said. "Rail, rail, rail is what we should be focusing on."

He asked the RTC to table the item to consider an alternate proposal drafted by DART.

But his motion was defeated by Judge Glen Whitely, and others.

Whitely said it would be a "grave mistake" to limit the transportation district just to commuter rail when there are also needs for highways.

"We’ve got tremendous shortfall in both areas," Whitely said.

Oscar Trevino, mayor of North Richland Hills and RTC member, said the road option is important so cities like Grapevine aren’t "double taxed."