Ric Williamson pro-tolls chair of Texas Transport Commission dies at 55 - ADDITION

Ric Williamson chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission and a strong advocate of toll financing died of a heart attack in the early hours of this morning. Williamson, 55, was first appointed to the commission - which makes policy for TxDOT and has various executive functions - in 2001 and became its chairman in Jan 2004.

He made his livelihood from a natural gas production business but was active in politics for many years - a member of the Texas legislature from 1985 to 1998. Like his close friend and political ally Texas Governor Rick Perry he was a Democrat who turned Republican.

In death he has received many tributes.

The closest we got to the guy was seeing him conduct meetings of the TTC online on the liitle Windows Media Player box on the computer display (see nearby). He always seemed to us a model chairman - efficient, sharp, considerate of varying opinions, and polite to a fault. He seemed to us to have an amazing capacity for suffering fools.

His opponents however called him stuff like "abrasive" and "arrogant."

Senator John Carona (Repub, Dallas) who led the push for a moratorium on private toll concessions was among Williamson's sharpest critics, and Jan 18 2007 called for Williamson to resign from the Commission claiming he had "worn out his welcome."

Paul Burka of the Texas Monthly who knew Williamson quotes him as having said his work on the TTC was a strain: "Since I've started this, I've had two heart attacks, and I'm trying to avoid the third one, which the doctors tell me will be fatal."

Burka admired his passion about doing what was needed for the good of the state and says he was "a great Texan."

Sal Costello a leading anti-toll activist in Austin commented today: "I feel for Williamson's family. A death in anyone's family is always very difficult. But sadly, and to be honest, the rest of our families will be better off without Ric Williamson leading the charge to place the highest toll rate possible on our freeways."

Even in death Costello misrepresents his adversary. Nothing Williamson ever said was in favor of the highest possible tolls, which after all would reduce traffic and revenues, and make no sense. Also Williamson spoke in support of state policy of maintaining existing free capacity - keeping existing freeway lanes free - but tolling new lanes.

Williamson believed deeply in the need to build a modern road system in his state. He was an opponent of higher taxes and a supporter of bringing investor capital and expertise into the running of roads under concession arrangements.

TOLLROADSnews 2007-12-30

Sal Costello responds

Sal Costello has responded with this YouTube video of Ric Williamson speaking on toll rate setting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uyMtbL4Gs0

Here's a transcript:

"I understand when a county judge (Texan for an elected official or politician) says 'I want to keep the cost of this toll down for my citizens.' I don't want a Robin Hood for highways although we all build highways for Robin Hood interestingly (?). I understand it when a county judge says that. I understand it when a board member of HCTRA (Houston area public toll authority) or NTTA (Dallas area public toll authority) says 'Well our goal is to keep the cost to the driver down as much as possible for the consumer.'

"But that is not our strategy. Our strategy is to let the consumer of the product decide that, whether it is worth a buck or ten cents or two bucks a mile or whatever it is..."

This shows Williamson saying he favors market determined tolls, not politically-set tolls.

Market tolls won't be "the highest toll rate possible".

TOLLROADSnews 2007-12-31