AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Transportation Commission is to hear testimony about a proposal to shift the burden for maintaining urban highways to local governments. The five-member panel is to hear that testimony Thursday. The Texas Department of Transportation wants cities and counties to take over the repair burden for nearly 1,900 miles of urban highways in 59 cities. It also wants to convert 83 miles of state highways in some oil-field areas from asphalt to gravel.
TxDOT Executive Director Phil Wilson says the proposals would cut the department budget by $165 million. He says the commission won’t make its final decision Thursday.
Democratic State Rep. Ruth McClendon of San Antonio says many Democrats see as the Republican-controlled Legislature avoiding the need to raise state taxes by making heavily Democratic urban areas pay.