The Facts
- Since 2008, Texas municipalities have charged $2 billion dollars in franchise fees to companies for right of way access, a burden ultimately borne by consumers.
- The fees raised far exceed the cost for ROW maintenance.
- The revenue obtained by these fees often goes to entirely unrelated projects.
- GDP grew by just 1.6%.
Recommendation
- ROW fees should be significantly reduced, limited to recouping the marginal cost of using the ROW.
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