Orchard Hills Neighborhood Association

More 635 East Update:On May 13th the Texas Senate Transportation Committee held a hearing, which included a bill from Senator Hall, who represents a part of Garland. This bill is very similar to the one laid out in the Texas House Transportation Committee, which was authored by Representative Cindy Burkett.

I got up at three in the morning to make the drive to Austin for the 8:00 am public hearing. Our bill, SB 1045, was heard that morning. Three Garland council members, Tim Campbell, Stephen Stanley, and BJ Williams provided supporting testimony, as did Mayor Athas, and another Garland resident, Gail Belton. High ranking city staff was also on hand, and on the record as strongly supporting the bill.

After listening carefully to the discussion between the committee members and the questions they were asking, I spoke to the committee about the local economic impact of the recently opened service road between Centerville Road and Northwest Highway. I mentioned a study I worked on with city staff back in 2012 that shows the amount of increased private sector investment in Centerville Marketplace, the new jobs in that area, and, for the purposes of the bill under discussion, how much additional city sales taxes had been collected up to the date of the study, which was approximately $1.8 million. That means up until that point the state had collected about $12 million in additional sales taxes that would not have happened without the service road. The service road project itself only cost $10 million. Obviously the numbers are much larger now with two and a half years of additional development and activity in Centerville Marketplace.

The change in each of these economic indicators is directly attributed to the then yet to be completed service road and the improved access it created.

I remain hopeful the Senate Transportation Committee will vote SB 1045 out of committee with a favorable recommendation so that it may be heard by the full Senate. Time is rapidly running out for this Texas legislative session. If securing approval for the biggest economic development project in this part of Garland in 50 years is important to you, please take the time call or write all of the senators on the committee.

The Texas Legislature records committee meetings. The recording of this meeting runs just over 3 hours and the agenda covered a laundry list of bills. SB 1045 begins at just at 36 minutes into the meeting, which you can find here:
http://tlcsenate.granicus.com/MediaPlaye…

Contact information for these senators is below:

Robert Nichols, Chair:
robert.nichols@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0103

Don Huffines, Vice-Chair:
don.huffines@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0116

Rodney Ellis, Member:
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0113

Troy Fraser, Member:
troy.fraser@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0124

Sylvia Garcia, Member:
sylvia.garcia@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0106

Bob Hall, Member:
bob.hall@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0102

Kelly Hancock, Member:
kelly.hancock@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0109

Lois Kolkhorst, Member:
lois.kolkhorst@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0118

Van Taylor, Member:
van.taylor@senate.state.tx.us
(512) 463-0108