Texas Toll Roads: An Examination of Tolls and Alternative Measures Nothing that has happened in Texas in recent years has been as controversial as the new and growing use of toll roads toll for the construction of new roads. We have heard many claims that toll roads are being built as a money-making scheme for the state (and the Department of Transportation). Claims have also been made that the state is "selling" the state, one stretch of road at a time; that current roads could be maintained by the state, with current levels of state funding. The main complaint is that Texas roads have always been clear and should continue to be. But are these arguments correct? Texas roads have always been toll-free, and should continue to be. If we're being honest, the roads around the state have NEVER been clear. We have been paying both state and federal taxes on gas for decades now, and we also pay various taxes and license fees on our cars and our right to drive, which go directly to the highway department for road maintenance. Unfortunately, as we will soon see, the money raised in this way fails to meet the needs of state transportation departments, for a variety of reasons. Current roads could be maintained with current state funding. This is simply a false assumption, and is so for a number of reasons. The Texas Department of Transportation has a budget of $7,732,365,130.00 for fiscal year 2006.1 This seems like a considerable sum, given that the previous year's budget was nearly $2 billion less. However, this is not a large sum; or, at least, not sufficiently consistent. First, this would assume that the state's costs are not increased... by mid-paper... of contractors willing to invest in Texas' infrastructure and build toll roads for us, or we will silently sink into an abyss where the Our roads will fall apart because we won't have the funds to repair and maintain them. References1. Texas Contractor Austin Bureau (2006, January 2). [article title]. Retrieved from http://www.acppubs.com/article/ca6294091.html, October 4, 2007.2. Hendricks, David (2007). Toll roads will help the local economy. San Antonio Express News, retrieved from http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/stories/MYSA092607.01E.Hendricks.2a01b15.html September 30, 2007.3. Retrieved from http://www.thetolltruth.com/gas-tax-toll-road.html on September 30, 2007.4. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain, October 4, 2007.5. Retrieved from http://www.thetolltruth.com/faq-toll-road.html, October 4, 2007.