THE BIG TIME

I was quoted in the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Commissioner Meyers and I traveled to Austin last week to the Texas Transportation Commission to try and reverse a proposed policy that was really going to hurt Fort Bend County.

The County put in a pass-through application with TxDoT for funding for the extention of FM 1093. We basically had a deal with TxDoT when they went back and changed the rules. The proposed change put the whole project at risk and could have cost the county $4 - $8 million. Commissioner Meyers and I went to see if we could talk the Transportation Commission into changing its position.

The money quote:

We've played by the law. Now you guys changed the rules and put this project in jeopardy," Fort Bend County Commissioner Richard Morrison told Transportation Department officials. "I'm here to ask TxDOT to honor their end of the agreement."

It must have worked, the Commission agreed our suggestion was reasonable and adopted the Fort Bend's version on Tuesday, June 8. The trip to Austin was worth it and it save Fort Bend taxpayers between $4 - $8 million. I would like to thank the Commission for listening to our concerns and changing their minds.