(IN Gov.) Daniels: Ohio River Bridge Funding Is Tied To Toll Road Deal

[Roland99]

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4392961

(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.) -- Gov. Mitch Daniels said Indiana's share of the cost of two planned Ohio River bridges "would be in jeopardy" if lawmakers fail to give him the authority to lease the Indiana Toll Road to a private company.

Southern Indiana lawmakers express surprise over the governor's comments, saying they had believed the money for the bridges being planned jointly by Indiana and Kentucky was relatively secure under a draft 10-year highway plan prepared by the Daniels administration.

"I was under the understanding that the bridges would be funded -- regardless," said state Rep. Dennie Oxley, D-English. "It was incorporated as a part of the 10-year plan."

...

Under his Major Moves highway program, Daniels wants the authority to lease highways such as the Indiana Toll Road and use public-private partnerships to generate cash for road construction, a plan that's included in a bill in the Indiana House.

Hmm...wonder who this company would be and how Mitch and his friends/family would benefit.

[bloom]

1. he wants to do that for I-69 as well

I think everyone should just call his bluff and say - forget it then.

If they have to sell off our assets to make new construction - just so that those assets can be sold/leased - we'll do without - if that's our only choice (it's not much of a "choice").