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Opinion January 24, 2007
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What will Texas gain by privatizing the Texas State Railroad?
ROBERT N. CROSSMAN, JR. Jacksonville

We have been told by former state Sen. Todd Staples, Rep. Byron Cook and the staffs of the Lt. Governor and the Speaker that the "Preservation Task Force" established by Sen. Staples was in response to citizens' requests in Anderson and Cherokee Counties.

The task force was tasked by Sen. Staples to find another state agency or a private operator to own and operate TSRR.

It developed into a mission to recommend paying $15-$20 million of state funds to a private operator to take our property. The group will also likely recommend a guarantee of no financial losses for three years.

What does the state have to gain by paying out monies to private individuals? What percentage of this stays with them and what percentage actually goes into the state property they are supposed to be managing?