Metcalf files bill giving county say in rail talks
“State Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, is taking dead aim at high speed rails.
Companies like Texas Central Railway, which hopes to build a high speed rail from Houston to Dallas, are staring down the barrel of Metcalf’s House Bill 1889.
He filed the bill Thursday that grants individual counties the ability to approve construction of the electric railways on streets, alleys, squares or other property belonging to the county without the county’s permission.
“Numerous county officials have come out in opposition to the Texas Central Railway and their use of eminent domain,” Metcalf posted on Facebook. “This bill would give more local control and would let individual counties decide what’s best for them. Although this may not be the ultimate solution, I believe it is a good first step. I am currently working on filing more legislation regarding this issue.”
The freshman state representative was one of many local and state politicians criticizing TCR for its anticipated use of eminent domain to have access to all of the land it needs to complete the project.”
Green, Stephan. The Courier 27 February 2015.