Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
What will be left of America that belongs to its citizens?? A trend of convenience for the politicians that want to continue to spend more then fair and reasonable revenue will allow -- the easy way out -- selling America.
House OKs Spending Toll-Road Interest On Local Streets
Opponents Say Money Was Meant For Other Projects
Mike Smith, Associated Press Writer
POSTED: 3:10 pm EST February 26, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS -- The House narrowly approved legislation Monday that would steer $60 million in interest from the Indiana Toll Road lease to local road and street construction.
The Democrat proposal, approved 51-48 along a near straight party-line vote, was among dozens of bills the General Assembly considered before a Wednesday deadline to pass legislation from its house of origin and send it to the other chamber.
Among bills still awaiting votes were those that would increase cigarette taxes by 25 cents per pack to provide health insurance to more Hoosiers, and legislation that would allow Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels to outsource the Hoosier Lottery to a private vendor to help fund higher education initiatives.
One House Republican -- Rep. Jonathan Elrod of Indianapolis -- joined 50 of the chamber's 51 Democrats in passing the bill that would spend $60 million on local roads over two years. The money would come from interest earned from a construction fund created when Daniels leased the toll road in northern Indiana to a private, foreign venture in exchange for an upfront payment of $3.8 billion.
Opponents of the bill authored by Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, said that money and its interest were intended to pay for projects already identified in a 10-year plan by the Indiana Department of Transportation. They said diverting it for other uses would set a bad precedent.
The bill that authorized the toll road lease already set aside $150 million over two years for local road construction, but Austin said money for that was still woefully lacking.
"Critics of this approach suggest it is the camel's nose under the tent," said Austin. "I don't see it that way. I think it's being fiscally prudent."
Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon, said the lease account in question had earned more than $118 million since July 5 and the state could afford to "throw a crumb" to needed local road construction.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
What an honor to be known as suckers halfway around the world. "The toll road El Dorado" indeed.
So now that we will have even more toll roads, our taxes will be coming down, right?
I wouldn't mind the toll if we could remove the government thievery at the gas pump. It is fraudulent taxation. Right up there with AMT and social security.