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Statement on TxDOT Sunset Report

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

For years, politics have played far too big a role in transportation issues. Needless battles have overwhelmed efforts to address our state's ever-worsening congestion. And information has too often been used as a weapon to advance an agenda.That's why all Texans are grateful for the work of the Sunset Advisory Commission, which has recommended a significant overhaul of the Texas Department of Transportation, its governance, its planning processes, and its internal controls. The Sunset Commission has taken a clear stand for honesty, accountability, and common sense. This commitment can only help Texans as we respond to our suffocating congestion and prepare for the growth we know is coming. TxDOT is a badly damaged agency, and this report is an important first step in restoring its effectiveness and credibility.But this effort cannot stop with a bureaucratic reorganization or a new planning process -- however valuable those steps may be. We must seize this opportunity to end the something-for-nothing politics that have come to define the transportation debate, and we must find innovative and efficient strategies for investing our increasingly scarce resources.If we work hard and work together, we will create the comprehensive transportation system that Texans want and need. The Sunset Commission report starts us down that road.