State indebtedness doubles under Perry's watching eyes
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry told the transportation officials at an Austin conference to enjoy the festivities of Texas’ capital city when they come around, like the concert and movie festival South by Southwest.
But there is a chance they’ll run into traffic, he said.
“You’ve come to what I would suggest is the mecca of innovation on transportation infrastructure,” Perry told those from out of state. “This place has become — Austin in particular, well you can say it about a number of the cities, whether it’s Houston, or Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth area, San Antonio — really cultural meccas of the country and of the world. But with all of that brings transportation challenges. If you’re here for (SXSW), you’ll get a big dose of it. … There is always challenges when you have that type of growth.”
Perry was at the annual meeting and exhibition of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association to tout his transportation success, all in a state that is still searching for ideas to fund roads under the pressure of a booming economy. Now lawmakers may be moving away from the debt accrual that had been part of the outgoing governor’s strategy.
State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, said after a committee meeting Tuesday that over the past decade[font color=red] Texas’ debt has doubled from about $20 billion to about $40 billion[/font], and half of that is from transportation at about $23 billion, not including toll roads.
Read more: http://www.caller.com/columnists/matthew-waller/gov-perry-talks-texas-roads-funding_71115141
[font color=green]Something to remember if Perry avoids conviction and continues to run for president. It is easy to make the state look prosperous when running up the credit card.[/font]
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