Headlines
TX: Toll road plan falters as special session opens
VA: Firm gets more time to plan fix of Va. computer system
KS: Planned parks budget cuts draw fire
TX: Water issues on Gladewater's table
News summaries
TX: Toll road plan falters as special session opens
A push to allow for new privately run toll roads hit a pothole
Wednesday as the special legislative session opened, with the measure
likely to be drastically scaled back or ditched. The idea was
“struggling to find support,” said Senate Transportation and Homeland
Security Committee Chairman John Carona, R-Dallas. Activists who oppose
allowing the Texas Department of Transportation and regional mobility
authorities to enter into the partnerships raised a ruckus. Some
lawmakers questioned the need to reauthorize the agreements now.
Lawmakers allowed the comprehensive development agreements in 2003 but
later put a moratorium on new ones in the face of critics who contended
the state was selling public assets. The general ability for TxDOT and
regional authorities to enter into agreements expires this year. Sen.
Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, has proposed extending existing
comprehensive development agreements until 2013 and allowing new ones
under strict restrictions. He said his bill would afford protection
while allowing an important financing tool. Senate Finance Committee
Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, said the measure was optional this
session: “I think the Republic would survive” without it.
Houston Chronicle
VA: Firm gets more time to plan fix of Va. computer system
Virginia's technology agency is giving Northrop Grumman Corp. two
months to come up with a plan get its overhaul of the state computer
network back on track. The 10-year, $2 billion deal has been scrutinized by
legislators wondering why several key performance deadlines have been
missed. Most notably, the state technology transformation was supposed to be
complete by the end of June but is about six months behind. The letter
from the Virginia Information Technologies Agency also served as notice
that the state believes Northrop Grumman is in breach of its contract.
That protects the state's legal rights should it seek to penalize the
firm or void the contract. The computer systems contract was signed in
2005 and billed as a pact that would provide savings to the state. To
date, those savings have not been achieved, though spending has been
capped. In April, a hacker attack breached a state prescription drug
Web site that contained millions of patient records. Then the state's
chief information officer was removed from his job in June after
suggesting that Virginia withhold payment on a $14 million invoice from
Northrop Grumman. Click for Enhanced Coverage Linking Searches Virginia
is the first state to undertake a public-private venture of this scope
for the administration of its computer systems.
The Virginian-Pilot
KS: Planned parks budget cuts draw fire
Witchita city parks employees, three state representatives and a few others
sharply criticized a proposal to privatize parks maintenance Wednesday at
a first-of-its kind public discussion about the city's dire budget situation.
Wichita Eagle
TX: Water issues on Gladewater's table.
The city of Gladewater...privatized its water services about 15 years
ago and has a 10-year contract with Veolia Water that will expire in
September 2010. "We've had a number of workshops and seminars to
discuss whether we should continue the contract with Veolia, and we've
encouraged public participation in these," Derrick said. "We'll have
several more before voting on the issue." Some City Council members,
including newly-elected Place 4 representative Judy Burlison, have
questioned the city's long-term contract with Veolia. Gladewater was
without water for about 24 hours in February when the main water line
broke twice in less than 18 hours. Most businesses and schools closed
early or opened late on those days. Stokes said the culprit was aging
infrastructure, not Veolia's management of the city's resources. The
council on Tuesday authorized bonds to finance improvements to the
water plant.
News-Journal
