TURF files federal lawsuit against MPO Policy Board

Contact: Terri Hall, (photo)
Founder/Executive Director

Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom (TURF)
Phone: (210) 275-0640
Email: terri@texasturf.org
Web: http://www.TexasTURF.org

In what could change the way toll roads are decided and approved in Bexar County, TURF filed a new lawsuit in Federal Court to put the power over transportation decisions back in the hands of the People. TURF recently scored a victory in State Court in a different lawsuit (http://texasturf.org/) against members of the Texas Transportation Department and Transportation Commission.

A lawsuit has been brought against the San Antonio Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAMPO) Transportation Policy Board that allocates tax dollars to transportation projects and approves toll rates and toll projects and San Antonio Councilwoman and MPO Chair Sheila McNeil.

The lawsuit alleges that the composition of the SAMPO Board is unconstitutional. (http://satollparty.com).

TURF will be asking for both a temporary and permanent injunction to suspend All activities of the MPO until the case is decided and the Board’s composition is changed to reflect proper Constitutional representation allowing equal protection under the law per the 14th Amendment.

The unconstitutional MPO has blocked agenda items, voted against an independent review of toll plans that would bring accountability to the gross misuse of taxpayer money in these toll plans, voted against restoring the gas tax funded overpasses on 281 (281 in particular does not need to be tolled, what’s needed are overpasses and they’ve been paid for since 2003, the money is STILL there, they could do it tomorrow, but this un-Constitutional Board persists in preventing the simple solution that’s already paid for!

The MPO Board has also delayed votes, blocked the succession of the next Chair, and changed the bylaws to allow yet more illegal representation on the Board.

“The people of Texas are fed-up with out-of-control abusive government. We’ve done everything in our power to exert the political pressure to change this unconstitutional Board, but when the deck is stacked and a powerful unelected voting block is allowed to persist unchecked, we have no choice but go to court to address our grievances.

This is taxation without representation and we cannot and will not allow it to continue,” says Terri Hall, Founder and Director of TURF.