Despite claiming to have no money left to build proper roads, the Texas Department of Transportation is spending $20 million to build a 5.2 acre park near downtown Dallas. The park will contain no roads. [Turf]
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Roads? Where we're going we don't need... "roads."
Well, if there's no roads in the park, then it shouldn't cost the DOT anything. Right? Right?
/sarcasm
I see how this state gave President Bush his start.
The guys on the talk radio here in Dallas frequently criticize TxDOT for all kinds of things. I bet you they will bring this up as one of the talking points on some future segment not too long away (if they haven't already).
Probably just the way their budgeting works. Money for different things comes out of different buckets. Its not hard to see how they would have no money for roads but money for parks. Silly they can't just reallocate it, but that's government for you.
A roadless park seems nice to me.
@howie_in_az: Its a Doc quote from Back to the Future.No it was by my buddy,when i lost the curve.
Roads who needs 'em?
@bdsakx: Trust me, "Ernie and Jay" on KRLD are all over this.
@Geekybiker: That's the problem. The Texas Legislature keeps doing this little trick called "diversion" which is (shockingly) constitutional in this state. Basically, the state treasury collects taxes and fees for a specific program or line item, but the Legislature can simply budget the money elsewhere and the budget carries the force of law. They've been doing this with the gas tax (only 20% of the local gas tax goes to ROADS), the Parks and Wildlife Fund and even the Texas Foundation School Fund (filled up by the lottery, emptied by anything other than schools).
If Texas had initiative and referendum (one of the few things I like from California), there's a lot of people that would love to have a constitutional amendment requiring the state to spend the money where it wishes.
Oh, and guess what? We supposedly have a $10 BILLION surplus, but we're out of money for roads.
But there will be roads that you CAN drive on to get to the park, so that evens it all out!
They can call it a parkway.
This particular park is actually supposed to span an existing freeway to join 2 trendy districts together (Uptown and the Arts District.)
Never minding the fact that it won't do anything to enhance or improve the road is spans, I'm sure the fact that there's to be a road UNDER the park is the excuse for spending TXDoT money on it.
Chill out guys, $20 million get you what? 10 miles of road?
Nice park.
@wesmills: If Texas had initiative and referendum (one of the few things I like from California), there's a lot of people that would love to have a constitutional amendment requiring the state to spend the money where it wishes.
I've got to disagree (mostly) with you on that point. Referendums are nothing but the tyranny of the majority.
Sure put tax / bond measures to a vote, but not issues that the legislature is supposed to be handling. Then again most legislatures are all about padding their own wallets; perhaps a referendum for the government to do their damn job.
anyway, I waaaay digress...
Well, of course. They said they have no money for roads. Plenty of money for parks, though.