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Transportation:
Lease Highway Welcome Centers and Rest Areas to Private Operators

Our Position:
Bill Number: HB1337
Sponsor: Rep. John Lunsford
Legislative Session: 2006

This project of Chief Hawk John Lunsford is in line with the "privatizing" mania that grips some legislators:  if it is possible for some entrepreneur to make a buck off the public by using public property, it must be, ipso facto, a good idea.  Commercializing highway welcome centers, and rest areas, beyond vending an array of privately produced and sold products, which is already done, is presented as good public policy in HB 1337.  The fact that the concepts of “rest” and “commerce” are not exactly congruent is not a problem when there is money to be made off the public’s property, and out of the public’s wallet. The bill leaves the details of all this up to the DOT, an agency that is supposed to provide transportation services, not serve as a landlord. 

Status

Action Needed

Background