Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, shown here in 2007 with Michael Morris of the North Central Texas Council of Governments as Perry's transportation department announced the winning $5.06 billion bid by the Spanish toll road firm Cintra for the rights to operate Sam Rayburn Tollway for up to 50 years. Cintra would eventually lose control of the project to the North Texas Tollway Authority after a fierce and protracted campaign, but in the end it was Perry's push for privatization that set the terms for billions in local highway construction over the past decade.
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