Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Texans Against High Speed Rail

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Formation
  
2015

Headquarters
  
Jewett, Texas

Legal status
  
501c(4) (application pending)

Slogan
  
Blow The Whistle On High-Speed Rail

Website
  
http://BlowTheWhistleOnHSR.com

Texans Against High Speed Rail, Inc. (TAHSR) is a non-profit 501c(4) (application pending) organization formed in early 2015 as a coordinated statewide grass-roots effort to protect property, property rights and values, and prevent the expense of taxpayer dollars or public subsidies for high-speed rail transportation in Texas. The organization was formed after plans for the Dallas - Houston route by Texas Central Railway quietly began to surface in late 2014. Supporters include residents, private property owners, business owners and elected officials from all across Texas who share the core belief of combating eminent domain for private use and opposition to any tax-subsidized passenger railway.

Contents

Organization details

The organization's leaders are unpaid volunteers who are also Texas landowners. TAHSR operates from funds raised through donations from Texas landowners affected by the proposed Dallas - Houston high-speed rail project.

Goals

  • Promote TxDOT and HSR project transparency
  • Stop the progress of high-speed rail in Texas, including the proposed Texas Central Railway
  • Protect the rights of private property owners in Texas by promoting restrictions on private use of eminent domain
  • Change the culture of TxDOT to abandon high-speed rail in Texas
  • Advocate for the rights of private citizens

    • Ongoing Grass-roots Efforts

  • Working with legislators and other elected officials directly and through our lobbyist to support the creation and passage of legislation to oppose high-speed rail in Texas.
  • Hosting meetings throughout the state to increase awareness and raise funds to support this effort.
  • Making grassroots efforts easier by providing sample letters and the ease of sending letters directly from the website, as well as utilizing social media to keep supporters informed and engaged in the high-speed rail opposition conversation.

    • Board of Directors

  • President - Kyle Workman. Kyle Workman, a Leon County resident. He is volunteering his time to lead Texans Against High Speed Rail, Inc., serving as President.
  • Chairman - Ben Leman. Ben Leman is a long-time resident of Grimes County. Mr. Leman and his family live in the Iola community.
  • General Counsel - Frank Reilly. Frank Reilly is a partner with Potts & Reilly, LLP and has practiced constitutional, administrative, land use, municipal, governmental, special district, legislative, ethics, business, campaign and election law for over twenty-four years. Prior to becoming licensed as a lawyer, Mr. Reilly earned seven years of experience as a legislative aide at the Texas House of Representatives; this combined with his legal practice gives him over thirty years of experience with matters pertaining to Texas law and politics. He holds an AV peer reviewed rating from Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest rating a lawyer can earn in legal abilities and ethics. He was elected three times to serve as Mayor of the City of Granite Shoals, Texas, a home rule municipality with approximately 5,000 residents. He also served as the acting staff attorney for the Trinity River Authority of Texas for over a year. Noted as an “expert in Texas takings laws” by the Wall Street Journal in 1999, Mr. Reilly also has a keen interest in property rights, environmental and natural resource issues, and water law. Mr. Reilly was involved in the drafting and passage of the state’s Private Real Property Preservation Act, which gave Texas property owners a new tool to preserve their rights. He has handled cases from the simplest traffic violations to complex constitutional arguments before the state’s and nation’s highest courts. He has represented clients in various municipal courts, county courts, probate courts, the State Office of Administrative Hearings, Texas and United States District Courts, Texas and United States Courts of Appeal, and before the Texas and United States Supreme Courts.
  • Board Member - Glenn Addison. Glenn Addison, of Magnolia, is a native Texan and long-time resident of Montgomery County. Glenn graduated from Magnolia High School in 1979 and Abilene Christian University in 1983. Mr. Addison has been a businessman since 1987. Mr. Addison has advocated and supported conservative Republicans and opposed RINO’s where and when necessary. He announced his candidacy in early 2011 for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Hutchison, and although a long-shot bid, came in 5th place out of 9 candidates for the seat eventually won by Ted Cruz. Mr. Addison also held an elected, non-partisan position on the Magnolia ISD School Board from May 1997 to December 2011. He is a strong believer in the U.S. Constitution and opposes all efforts to water it down whether by Democrats or Republicans. Mr. Addison is a strong advocate of liberty. This stance makes him a strong opponent to giving private parties the right of eminent domain, for any reason, and thus opposes the proposed high-speed rail plan being pushed by Robert Eckels and others in Texas.

    • From The State Capitol

    1. Senator Robert Nichols, State Senator District 3, U.S. Senate - "We are also concerned that the TCR;s cost estimates are too low and their ridership estimates are too high, both of which will likely result in a need for supplemental funds from Texas taxpayers. We are adamantly opposed to the use of public funds to subsidize this private venture and will fight to ensure that state dollars are not appropriated for this purpose""
    2. Senator Brandon Creighton, State Senator District 4, U.S. Senate - "The federal government has reached a new low in their disregard for states' rights. The Dallas-Houston high-speed rail, proposed by Texas Central Railway, threatens to confiscate up to 3,000 acres of Texas land and won't provide any opportunity for economic growth in our district. Without allowing input from local elected officials and hearing the voices of Montgomery County residents, I have no choice but to oppose this proposal as it stands. Texans stand together — and Texans who own property in Montgomery County should know that they won't have to face the federal government alone. As a native Texan, a rancher and a firm believer in private property rights, I stand with Texas landowners. My office is working hard to bring federal, state and local officials together, along with community leaders, to stay engaged and involved in this issue until our community can be assured this project will be beneficial to the families southeast Texas or stopped in its tracks."
    3. Senator Charles Schwertner, State Senator District 5, U.S. Senate - "This project holds real consequences for rural constituents, their property, and their livelihoods. Private property interests will be taken through eminent domain. Farm and ranchland, often held by families for generations, will be divided, creating a loss in access and a loss in revenue for those who rely on farming and ranching to make a living. The value of nearby land will decrease due to the sight, noise, and restricted use of property caused by the high-speed rail. In summary, the proposed line will result in substantial, widespread, and detrimental effects."
    4. Senator Lois Kolkhorst, State Senator District 18, U.S. Senate - "For the rural counties impacted by the proposed routes, this project would only serve as a detriment. Although rural counties may benefit from a few jobs during the construction phase, the long-term costs far outweigh any temporary benefit."
    5. Senator Brian Birdwell, State Senator District 22, U.S. Senate - "We write today in unified opposition to the high-speed rail project from Dallas to Houston proposed by the Texas Central Railway (TCR), also known as TXHS Railroad, Inc. or Texas Central Holdings, LLC. We respectfully request that members of our congressional delegation actively oppose any application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity at the Surface Transportation Board (STB) by the TCR."
    6. Representative Cecil Bell Jr., State Representative District 3, U.S. House of Representatives
    7. Representative Byron Cook, State Representative District 8, U.S. House of Representatives
    8. Representative John Wray, State Representative District 10, U.S. House of Representatives
    9. Representative Kyle Kacal, State Representative District 12, U.S. House of Representatives
    10. Representative Leighton Schubert, State Representative District 13, U.S. House of Representatives
    11. Representative John Raney, State Representative District 14, U.S. House of Representatives
    12. Representative Mark Keough, State Representative District 15, U.S. House of Representatives
    13. Representative Will Metcalf, State Representative District 16, U.S. House of Representatives

    From The Counties

    1. Ellis County
    2. Freestone County
    3. Grimes County - Grimes County will require a permit to be approved by Commissioners Court before construction can begin on any high-speed rail project where it crosses a county road. Included in this permit, among other regulations, will be a requirement for any high speed rail entity to provide sufficient proof that they have been granted the power of eminent domain by the federal or state government. Without such proof, the permit will be denied and that high speed rail project would not be able to come through Grimes County.
    4. Leon County - "The Leon County Commissioners Court voted to join with the City of Jewett and create a 391 Sub-Regional Planning Commission opposing the High Speed Rail that may come through Leon County. Commissioners David Grimes and Dean Stanford were designated the elected officials from the County that will serve on the Commission and Kyle Woodman will function as a non-elected official. The purpose of the Commission is to provide more voice for those opposing the High Speed Rail."
    5. Limestone County
    6. Madison County
    7. Montgomery County
    8. Navarro County
    9. Waller County

    From The Public

  • Pete Bonds, President, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association - "Because of the statewide implication of this sizable and unique project, TSCRA is opposed to the use of eminent domain by the TCR. Moving forward, we will continue listening to members who are worried about the negative impacts of this project. We will also support legislative and regulatory efforts that limit the authority of private high-speed passenger rail companies to use the power of eminent domain for their profit while forever harming land values and stripping landowner rights."

    • References

    Texans Against High-Speed Rail Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA