How private enterprise drives the trains in Texas
August 28th, 2016
August 25, 2016 - Washington Times -
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Tim Keith:
Texans are turning the tables on how to pay for nationally critical infrastructure projects, leading the way with a high-speed train project that relies on the expertise of private entrepreneurs instead of government money.
A private sector group is developing the passenger line to connect two of the nation’s top economic centers, Dallas and Houston, in a quick, 90-minute commute on trains running at more than 200 mph.
Driving this game-changing effort: Texas’ elected leadership has created a pro-business climate that attracts capital from all over the world, seeking to invest in new opportunities that put the state’s world-class labor force to work building the future economy.
Generally, the money used to plan and build America’s modern infrastructure comes from state and federal gas taxes and then distributed is based on formulas and restrictions politicians have put in place. In Texas, that means a constitutional prohibition against spending fuel-tax dollars on rail projects.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/25/how-private-enterprise-drives-the-trains/
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Tim Keith:
Texans are turning the tables on how to pay for nationally critical infrastructure projects, leading the way with a high-speed train project that relies on the expertise of private entrepreneurs instead of government money.
A private sector group is developing the passenger line to connect two of the nation’s top economic centers, Dallas and Houston, in a quick, 90-minute commute on trains running at more than 200 mph.
Driving this game-changing effort: Texas’ elected leadership has created a pro-business climate that attracts capital from all over the world, seeking to invest in new opportunities that put the state’s world-class labor force to work building the future economy.
Generally, the money used to plan and build America’s modern infrastructure comes from state and federal gas taxes and then distributed is based on formulas and restrictions politicians have put in place. In Texas, that means a constitutional prohibition against spending fuel-tax dollars on rail projects.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/aug/25/how-private-enterprise-drives-the-trains/