A contentious election this week in the southeast corner of the state has inspired hope that something may yet be done to reform the state’s toll road structure that has created a burden for millions of Texans.
The narrow victory by Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, in the Republican runoff election now paves the way for lawmakers to discuss reforming the state’s complex tollway system, according to political experts and some lawmakers who spoke to the Dallas Morning News.
Had Phelan lost, the momentum for toll reforms would have stalled, said Brandon Rottinghaus, professor of political science at the University of Houston. Phelan was attacked by powerful state leaders, such as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton, who campaigned to replace him as Beaumont’s state representative and speaker of the House.
Phelan voted to impeach Paxton and was censured in February for appointing Democrats to a percentage of House chairmanships. His opponent, David Covey, Orange County GOP chairman, likely would have replaced Phelan’s appointments with GOP loyalists, according to political strategists. Rumors had spread that Phelan would be ousted as speaker, but the consensus is now that he has a better chance to return in 2025.
“My sense,” Rottinghaus said, “is that probably Phelan being re-elected means that there’s an equally good if not better chance that you’ll see some of those ( toll) reforms move forward.”
Lawmakers for years have grappled with ways to lessen the impact of toll expenses on motorists. Texas has built more miles of toll roads in the last 20 years than nearly all states combined, according to a yearlong Dallas Morning News investigation published May 19.
State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, who served two consecutive terms as chairman of the House Transportation Committee, unveiled his plans to request a study on toll reform during interviews for the News’ investigation.
In January, he urged Phelan to include the issue as part of a list of interim charges, which would provide the basis for bills introduced during the upcoming 89th Legislative session.
“It’s the confusion, the great disparity from toll to toll, the various toll setting agencies, the private and public entities,’’ Canales told The News during an interview last summer. “It’s a whole hodgepodge and there’s no uniformity and that, in and of itself, creates distrust.”
The News’ investigation also found the high concentration of toll roads came about because state leaders disdained higher taxes but needed a way to prepare for an influx of new residents.
The analysis revealed thousands of drivers are hauled annually into court for unpaid fees. Some of their car registrations are blocked and others could face jail time even though they have proof the fees they were charged are incorrect. These practices make Texas one of the harshest and most unforgiving states for unpaid toll fines, the investigation revealed.
Canales was unavailable for comment on Tuesday, said Amy Rister, committee director for the House Committee on Transportation.
Rister said the status of the study remains unchanged.
Other lawmakers on the House Transportation Committee said that public frustration is building.
“As transportation chair, he is starting to feel what we feel here in North Texas and certainly what they feel in Houston,” said state Rep. Ramon Romero, D-Fort Worth. “We suffer from the two worst tolled areas of the state.’’
Among the frustrations are that people want to understand the contracts that were signed with private toll roads that operate several routes in North Texas.
As lawmakers, “we’re going to look at how we got here,” Romero said. “And if there’s reforms that need to be made, we’ll look at some of those next session.”
A politician who wants to set themselves apart from the pack will seize on an opportunity to fight on behalf of the public to reform the state’s toll system, said Vinny Minchillo, a Republican political strategist from Plano.
For anyone who commutes regularly in the Metroplex, “it’s four figures” to ride on tollways, he said. “It’s a lot of money and that’s a kitchen table issue that no one’s talking about. If it was my client, I would counsel them to take up that issue and own it.”
Rottinghaus agreed.
“These are the kind of reforms politicians dream about: tackling a common enemy to save money and smooth over everyday frustrations,” Rottinghaus said. “That’s something that members love.”
Calls and emails to state Rep. Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas, who is among a small group of North Texas members who sit on the House Transportation Committee, went unanswered. So, too, were emails and calls left for state Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, who is also a member of the House Transportation Committee. Phelan also could not be reached for comment.
This month, Phelan released a multi-page report that listed the interim charges for every House committee from agriculture and livestock to appropriations, business and industry and homeland security and public safety.
Among the charges for the House Committee on Transportation is to identify the state’s most congested roadways and review forecasts for future congestion.