reply to post by AP-Chris
I happen to own property at both ends of the NAFTA highway route: I was born and raised in Texas, and own a small ranch outside San Antonio. I
currently live in Indiana, a stone's throw from where IH 69 will be the final leg of the highway.
Indiana has already sold the rights to its Northern toll road to this private consortium. The State took in hundreds of millions of dollars up front,
which it is using for other infrastructure and social (e.g. health care) projects. The consortium is responsible for maintaining a heavily-traveled
system, mostly used by long-haul truckers.
As for Texas, I see no evidence that Combs is taking property without just compensation. Eminent domain is a very lucrative practice for attorneys
representing short-changed landowners who get windfalls from juries for their land; which was used to support the economic explosion in Texas in the
late '80s and '90s. I saw many landowners become millionaires overnight - most notably the struggling Mexican American immigrant owner of a taco
stand that was taken for development, and who pocketed more than $4million for his taco stand.
Your thread cites only yourself as authority, and appears to be a blatant political advertisement and rallying call for your favorite position,
candidate, "reporting" and blogs.
Moreover, your own linked blog creates the false impression that land is being taken without compensation, then given away to private
companies:
Basically, the government uses eminent domain to acquire land from citizens to allow private companies to build toll way projects
where citizens have to pay to drive on. The toll way profits, of course, going to the private company.
That is blatantly misleading at best, and more likely, intentionally deceptive.
In reality, people are paid what a commission of citizens determines to be fair value, or they can reject that and ask a jury to determine value. You
are intentionally leaving out vital parts of the E.D. process to further your political candidate, and your blogs and agenda.
In addition, the land is not given to private parties, IT IS SOLD by the State! If the State is not getting fair value, then you may have an issue,
but again you completely ignore the reality "on the ground" as a means of bolstering someone's campaign.
As for end-use, the toll way will be mostly used by international truckers, NOT commuters or ordinary locals. Why shouldn't they pay to drive fast
through our state?
I do not know who either candidate is, and will be voting in Indiana this year. In 2 years, I will drive down the NAFTA highway directly from Indiana
to Texas to see how things turned out.
In the mean time, why don't you try to add some facts to your campaigning.
Start with: What's been taken so far? What was paid? What happened to the land? What benefits accrue to the state? What benefits accrue to the
adjoining landowners, and former landowners? What does the consortium pay and receive?
Curious minds want to know.