Monday Morning Report
April 30, 2007

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The Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail District Board meeting is scheduled for this Friday (5/4) 10:00 a.m. at the San Marcos Activity Center located at 501 E. Hopkins in San Marcos. 

Two big retirements announced in San Antonio this week deserve special mention: Ed Whitacre, who built AT&T into the largest communications company in the world, and our long-time friend Joe Krier, who will leave the Chamber of Commerce presidency at the end of the year. Mr. Krier has been a tireless backer of the Corridor Council, commuter rail, and SH 130, always has something either pithy or witty to say (depending upon the occasion), and is the kind of man - as they said in the Old West - you could send to judge horses for you. And that's high praise.

The Corridor Council's Transportation Task Force chairman Tom Griebel has decided to postpone the next meeting of the group until after the current Texas legislative session ends on May 28. That will also delay publication of the group's Mobility Recommendations until the results of any relevant legislative actions can be incorporated into the report. "There are too many significant changes in strategy that could result based upon what the Legislature does," said Griebel. The Task Force, with about 100 members, usually meets on a bi-monthly basis in San Marcos.

Infrastructure

Best of bills, worst of bills? House Bill 1892, which began life as a power struggle between TxDOT and the Harris County Toll Authority but now contains a two-year moratorium on new toll projects and Comprehensive Development Agreements, appears headed for Gov. Perry's desk after the Senate approved it last week. He'll veto, but the Legislature will over-ride if given time before the session ends May 28. Many significant projects have been exempted, and Toll Party-types love it, but a lot of good ideas are being tossed out and the public is left with the bathwater. "We are acting almost like a lynch mob. . . .We are not thinking about the implications of what we're doing," said Sen. Steve Ogden of Bryan, one of four Senators who voted against it. For the blow-by-blow go here and here

Meanwhile, a thoughtful letter from two former TxDOT Commission Chairman - David Laney and John Johnson - tells Senate Transportation Chairman John Carona the good, the bad, and the ugly about proposed HB 1892 Legislative action on toll roads and Comprehensive Development Agreements. The good news is that certain elements may help restore agency credibility to a skeptical public. See the letter here.

In other action on HB 1892 (above) and similar measures to restrict Comprehensive Development Agreements, the Federal Highway Administration wrote TxDOT last week threatening to withdraw potentially billions in funding from certain projects - such as the mega-SH 121 deal in Dallas-Ft. Worth - if the Legislature passed the bills. Text of the letter is here. Maybe it's no accident that Travis County commissioners declare April Mental Health Awareness Month Tuesday.

Hutto mayor Ken Love was among the officials on hand as the city got exit signs on State Highway 130 last week. Love said the event was especially important for the city’s vitality. “All our roads make us a destination,” he told the Round Rock Leader. “Now, they will know Hutto is here.”  Read more…

Seguin has joined dozens of other Texas cities in approving the use of video cameras to catch and fine motorists who run red lights. Though some have complained that it's just one more step toward 'Big Brother with omnipresent surveillance,’ the local Gazette-Enterprise newspaper is supportive. Read more…

Economic Development

More than 200 Austin-San Antonio Corridor soldiers from the Texas National Guard will deploy to Iraq in early June and a send-off party is being arranged for troops from New Braunfels, Seguin, and San Marcos by the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce at the city's Civic Center 9:30- 11 am, June 1.

Catellus Development Group, the master developer behind the Mueller project, is working with consultants and community leaders to find Austin-based retailers eager to capitalize on Mueller's central location and drawing power. Already open in the first phase of Mueller's regional retail center are Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy and Marshalls. The Chair King and Shoe Pavilion will soon join the mix.

Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday laid claim to the title of largest auto maker in the world, saying its sales topped General Motors' during the first quarter. According to a report by TheStreet.com, Toyota sold 2.35 million vehicles during the quarter, up 9% over first quarter 2006. GM sold 2.26 million vehicles, up 3% over the same period in 2006.

A Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation executive has been selected to give the 2007 commencement address at Southwestern University in Georgetown. Gwen Sherman, director of finance for the Seattle-based Foundation, will give the address on May 12 at the university. Sherman, who graduated from Southwestern in 1980, now heads up the financial department, which has more than $33 billion in assets.

Chicago sandwich company Potbelly Sandwich Works is coming to Austin. They are opening two locations, one at Arbor Walk off Mopac in North Austin, and one at 2316 Guadalupe St. near downtown. Founded in 1977 as a small antique store, Potbelly is best known for its hot sandwiches and hand dipped shakes. Potbelly restaurants also feature live local music.

Valero Energy Corp. of San Antonio finished first Fortune magazine's latest "Best Big Companies to Work For" list. The 37 companies on that list was compiled from a ranking of the firms placing on both the Fortune 1000 and Fortune 100 Best Companies lists. Valero owns and operates 18 refineries throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean with a combined capacity of 3.3 million barrels per day.

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox will be in San Antonio for a national conference honoring the country's top Spanish-and bilingual journalists. The former president has agreed to be the keynote speaker for the 2007 Hispanic Media Awards, which will be held May 24 at the Marriott Rivercenter Grand Ballroom.

Thought for the week:

“The tongue is the only instrument that gets sharper with use.” – Washington Irving