Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

itsjrd1964 wrote:The county thinks it needs around $13 billion (yes, a B) for transportation work in the next 3 to 4 decades. The upcoming bond election, if passed, would only cover $750 million of that.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/collin- ... icials-say

This is telling....

Morris said the county could leverage the bond money with $800 million in state and federal dollars already allotted for Collin County. Morris said the county could get more value out of that money if the county works with the Texas Department of Transportation and others on engineering and right-of-way needs.

County officials hope it's enough cash up-front to get routes approved and protect land for the necessary roads to then be built.

"We're growing so rapidly and developing the raw land to the point where we're closing in all the corridors," Webb said. "We need to get the lines on the map."

What they need is mass transit. Rail lines and buses. More highways isn't going to help.

The SE corner of Prosper is now included in one proposal of the planned US 380 bypass, which has shocked and surprised nearby residents, who originally thought none of the potential work would include land inside Prosper.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/collin- ... 380-bypass

It's fun watching this play out.

DCTA is studying a plan for commuter bus service between Old Town Station in Lewisville and McKinney along SH 121.

https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort ... -mckinney/

OMG, duh

We couldn't possibly collect taxes to pay for what is necessary, could we?

It's great that Texans have a very low overall tax burden, but truth be told, it's too low. Top notch infrastructure and public education are requirements for indefinite economic and quality of life growth. State level funding mechanism needs to be set right soon.

tamtagon wrote:OMG, duh

We couldn't possibly collect taxes to pay for what is necessary, could we?

It's great that Texans have a very low overall tax burden, but truth be told, it's too low. Top notch infrastructure and public education are requirements for indefinite economic and quality of life growth. State level funding mechanism needs to be set right soon.

Not many taxpayers who believe they are already paying too much will agree. Taxpayers in DART member cities already pay 1% of their expenditures to subsidize DART, in DCTA and Trinity Metro member cities are paying 0.5% sales tax as well. Texas does not collect property taxes nor income taxes,, collects 6.25% sales tax along with other excise taxes for funding.
https://comptroller.texas.gov/transpare ... by-source/
FYI, sales taxes generates 26.6% of its’ revenues for FY2018.

Here are the other revenues sources for the state:
Sales Tax 26.6%
Motor Vehicle Sales/Rental Taxes 4.1%
Motor Fuels Taxes 3.1%
Franchise Tax 3.1%
Oil Production Tax 2.8%
Insurance Taxes 2.1%
Natural Gas Production Tax 1.1%
Alcoholic Beverages Taxes 1.1%
Hotel Tax 0.5%
Utility Taxes 0.4%
Other Taxes 0.3%
Total Taxes 55,584,775,261 46.3%

Other Major Sources of Revenue
Federal Income 33.0%
State Health Service Fees and Rebates 6.3%
Licenses,Fees,Permits,Fines and Penalties 5.4%
Net Lottery Proceeds 1.9%
Land Income 1.7%
Interest and Investment Income 1.5%
Escheated Estates 0.5%
Settlements of Claims 0.5%
Sales of Goods and Services 0.2%
Other Revenues 2.7%
Total Other Sources 64,580,844,020 53.7%

Total Net Revenue = $120,165,619,281
Percent change in revenue from FY2017 = +8.1%

Most of us would be extremely happy with an 8% increase pay raise.
Why aren’t you?

you get what you pay for

McKinney and Prosper residents share separate concerns over proposed Hwy 380 bypass routes

The latest freeway bypass proposals for US 380 in McKinney and Prosper are bringing out the yeas and nays.

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local ... 839556fd87

They need to upgrade/widen 380 as much as possible within it's current right of way and then plan a freeway further North.