Toll & Transit Authorities

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, spending by local governments in Texas has grown from $66 billion in fiscal year 2000 to $104 billion in fiscal year 2007—an increase of 58 percent. By contrast, statewide population growth plus inflation has only increased by 34 percent over the same period.

This growth in local government spending makes online financial transparency essential. With so much money flowing through the system, it is critical the public understand how and why their tax dollars being spent locally so that they can make intelligent decisions about whether increased or decreased government spending is needed.

To help the public in their effort, Texas Budget Source has analyzed several budgets, check registers, and financial statements of local governments around the state—where available—and summarized the information, without the jargon.

In this section, you will find a general overview of how toll and transit authorities collect and spend your tax dollars. Unfortunately, transit agencies are among the least transparent government entities in Texas, so there are few good examples to lift up for recognition.