Tholl Roads. Jeff Tharte. (Thurn off the camera, Nicole.)
Oh, how things change in a year. In June 2014, senator Jeff Tarte was not interested in delaying the I-77 toll / HOT lane project in northern Mecklenburg County. In July 2014, Tarte was publicly touted as someone “who supports HOT lanes”. In October 2014, Tarte was sounding a lot like a leader of the pro-toll movement, eagerly dismissing any and all criticism of the toll project.
Now, in the wake of a business community summit within his district, Tarte is talking about trying to defund the project — a source of personal pride for his mentor Thom Tillis and Governor Pat McCrory. The drivebys are portraying this like it’s some kind of courageous stand. But — from listening to Tarte — 
it sounds more like a guy trying some CYA in the wake of some heated discussions with big donors in the district.
It’s sad that you have to turn up the heat to scalding level in order to get your leaders in Raleigh to even give you lip service. Keep the heat coming. You make these people sweat a little, and sometimes they end up doing the right thing.
Oh, and if Tarte ends up weaseling out here, he might get himself another dose of Nicole Revels and her video camera. We’ve seen how little Mr. Tarte cares for that.
So Jeff Tarte is like John Kerry a flip flopper. He voted for toll roads before he voted against them.
And a lot like Nancy Pelosi, we need to vote for the toll roads before we know whats in the toll roads.
And a lot like well, Jeff Tarte. I was for the toll roads but now, I never actually was for the toll roads.
And like another Nancy,…Nancy Kerigan, cause he’s skating on thin ice. ((((rimshot))))
He should not be allowed out of it that easy. Those big donors ought to get behind a primary challenger. The citizens group opposing the toll roads needs to step up and find them someone to run against Tarte in the GOP primary next year.
Oh my oh my, who could it be? Who is willing to fight for us? Who is not a skeered to fight? Commissioner Gordon flash the bat signal. Come soon Batman, come save us from the evil evil breakfast pastry Pop Tarte.
Totally agree!
My personal observation of Senator Tarte is that he is delusional in his importance. He thinks he is above the law just like many progressives in our state. Forget the conflict of interest,he thinks it doesn’t matter to the common plebes.
The foreign company holding the I-77 contract, Cintra, is the main player in this ugly story from just north of us:
How Virginia paid more than $250 million for a road that never got built
http://wapo.st/1AIUQxL
Cintra (or “US 460 Mobility Partners” – sound familiar?) simply had better negotiators than the State of Virginia. They got paid a quarter of a billion dollars for a road that they never built.