Texas Senate Committee Debates Bill on Surplus Funds from Harris County Toll Road Authority
The Texas Senate Committee on Transportation recently held a hearing to discuss a bill that would dictate how surplus funds from the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) are distributed. The bill, Senate Bill 2722, was authored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt and has a companion bill in the Texas House, HB 5177.
What the Bill Proposes
The proposed legislation would require 30% of HCTRA’s surplus funds to be allocated to the City of Houston, with the remaining 70% allocated to Harris County. The 30% allocated to the city could only be used to reimburse law enforcement and emergency services for their response to collisions on the county’s toll roads. The 70% allocated to the county would be distributed to the county’s four precincts based on the percentage of county roads within each precinct. A small portion of the county’s allocation, 5%, could be used for other road-related county departments or projects.
Current Distribution of Surplus Funds
Currently, the Harris County Commissioners Court has authority over HCTRA’s surplus and distributes the funds equally between the precincts to be used as their elected commissioners see fit. However, some argue that this method is unfair, as some precincts have more county roads than others.
Support for the Bill
Sen. Bettencourt believes that the HCTRA’s surplus should mainly be dedicated to road improvement projects. He also thinks that the city should be reimbursed for its numerous emergency responses on the toll roads. Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey spoke in favor of the bill, saying that it is unfair to distribute the surplus funds equally among the precincts because his precinct contains a disproportionate amount of county roads.
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and Houston Fire Chief Thomas Muñoz also support the bill, citing the high number of responses to toll road incidents within the city limits. Mayor John Whitmire expressed his support for the legislation, stating that it is an opportunity to receive fairness in the revenue stream that the city provides.
Opposition to the Bill
However, not everyone is in favor of the bill. Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia opposes the bill, arguing that funds should not be distributed solely on how many miles of county road are in a given precinct. Garcia’s precinct has more maintenance demands due to heavy freight traffic, and he believes that the bill would undermine his ability to manage and fund critical infrastructure.
Committee member Sen. Nathan Johnson raised concerns about the potential precedent that the bill might set, while Sen. Borris Miles requested data from both the city and county regarding their support to the toll roads. HCTRA’s executive director, Roberto Treviño, also testified that the toll road has contracts with all of the constables’ offices in Harris County and that they respond to nearly all of the incidents on the toll roads.
Conclusion
The bill was left pending in committee and would need to be passed by the committee to receive a vote on the Senate floor. If passed, it would then need to be passed by the Texas House and signed by the governor to become state law. The debate highlights the complexities of managing surplus funds and the need for fair distribution to support road improvement projects and emergency services. Ultimately, the decision will depend on the committee’s review of the data and the potential impact on the city and county.
