OOIDA Call to Action - Indiana Members
February 24, 2006

Attention: Indiana members! The Indiana Senate will vote Monday, Feb. 27, at 1:30 p.m. on whether to lease the Indiana Toll Road to a foreign group for nearly $4 billion.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the bill 8-4 Thursday, Feb. 23, along party lines before sending it to the full Senate.

Prior to the committee vote, lawmakers made several changes to the bill.

Among the modifications is a provision that would require legislative approval of any future public-private partnerships to toll existing or planned highways. Daniels has said he wants to make a planned extension of Interstate 69 from Indianapolis to Evansville a private toll road.

Another change would set aside $400 million in a trust fund that could not be tapped until its balance reaches $1 billion (about 2025). At that time, interest from the fund could be used to help pay for highway projects beyond the state's 10-year transportation plan, The Associated Press reported.

Another change would allow annual tax credits for tolls incurred by many Indiana residents. It would allot for a maximum annual credit of $300 for residents who file an individual income tax return during the next decade. The tax credit would not be available to small-business truckers.

Dropped from the bill was a provision that would place a 10-year freeze on tolls for passenger vehicles that belong to residents who live in counties that the Indiana Toll Road goes through.

The Senate committee was concerned unequal pricing would violate the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Lawmakers forwarded the bill to the full Senate despite seemingly wide opposition from various organizations and the public.

A big point of contention for opponents is the logic and fiscal sense of giving up a state asset such as the toll road - and its revenue stream - for 75 years in exchange for a decade-long road program.

While each of the Senate's changes was designed to garner support or soften the opposition, the proposal still stinks for reasons we've already stated. And there are also some new ones. Once the lease is signed, it's gone for 75 years. And who can know who might hold that lease even months after it's signed.

Do you think U.S .officials at the six seaports now almost under the control of a company owned by the United Arab Emirates anticipated the future when they signed the lease? No; they did it for the money, just like Mitch is doing now.

Make another phone call.

You can find your state lawmakers and get their contact information by going to www.vote-smart.org and inputting your 9-digit ZIP code. If you don't know the full 9-digit ZIP the site does provide a link to assist with getting the last 4 digits.

You can e-mail your lawmaker by going to the following Web site: in.gov/legislative/legislators/listing.html.

You can also call the OOIDA Membership Department at 1-800-444-5791 and they can pull up the information for you.

Gov. Daniels' telephone number is (317) 232-1198.