Letter to the Dallas County Commissioners & Judge re diverting money to designer bridge.

4 July 2002

Dear Commissioner Mayfield,

As a taxpayer of the city and county of Dallas, I am concerned about a recent story suggesting that Dallas County would be donating $6 million toward a "fancy" bridge on I-30 across the Trinity River.   In case you have not been keeping up with current events, times are difficult for the folks who work and pay taxes in Dallas County.   Many employers are giving minimal pay raises if any, health insurance costs are up and a lot of people have lost their jobs.

Tax dollars are not play money.  They should not be given away to anyone.   They are earned by working people and you are supposed to be a steward of this money.    It is true that a replacement bridge is necessary on I-30 at the Trinity River.   The proposal for a fancy bridge is as much as $70 million more than a standard bridge.   In difficult economic times, I vote for a standard bridge.   

In addition, I do not support the construction of a toll road inside the Trinity River levee.   This project has no benefit for the citizens of Dallas and Dallas County should not be involved in this scheme to benefit a few wealthy taxpayers.   The amount of traffic that will be carried on this toll road is barely 5% of the traffic that goes thru the Mixmaster.

Please do the right thing and use the $6 million to fund a replacement jail and not a fancy bridge.

Sincerely,

Stan Aten