The Booster Network: A Framework For Analyzing State Policy Formation In An Era Of Resurgent Private Power

The continuing shift toward privatization has created new opportunities for private participation in transportation policy formation, infrastructure development, and service provision. The resulting high stakes have drawn a variety of traditionally powerful private players to overtly participate in Texas state policy making. Understanding policy formation in this era of resurgent private power is imperative because the outcomes will affect urban development, population distribution, and subsequent politics and policy.

With this paper, I analyze Trans Texas Corridor policy formation using a new framework, the booster network. The framework is based in policy studies and urban development literatures, conceptualizes policy formation in five parts anchored to the legislative process, identifies players, and explains how they influence substantive policy outcomes. My methodology features an instrumental case study, designed to develop the framework, which includes a literature review and analyses of governmental documents and video of state legislative activity, supplemented by newspaper articles.