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This page is still under-constuction But
first let's list who might think they will profit from Interstate 69,
but are wrong.
The Unsuspecting Losers:Property Owners: Many think that they will make out with eminent domain purchase of their property. INDOT can only pay appraised value and a very small moving stipend. There is no payment for closing fees for home purchase which can represent as much as a 10% loss in value. Likewise there is no provision for reimbursement for time off to search for suitable property. A replacement home is only guaranteed to have the basics of a rest room. There is no assurance that like property will be available for the eminent domain payment. INDOT only pays for actual property taken. At an INDOT sponsored Greene county meeting in 2003, eminent domain staff said if they could move your septic system to your front yard from the back to avoid buying your house, they would. In this case, you would only get the land value for the portion of your land taken. There is no provision for payment to those who loose property value by virtue of close proximity. Highway Construction Companies: Smaller companies that get INDOT contracts often believe they will profit if I-69 is built. Actually the opposite is the case. Since there is no special set aside money for I-69 construction, INDOT would pay for this from the annual INDOT state and federal fund that is their budget. Since I-69 would require the acquisition, demolition and land filling of private property, "new terrain" construction is a budgetary transfer from transportation to housing and real-estate. Larger companies might be correct that they have the size and equipment that will assure contracts, but even they will face out of state competition that might not challenge more and smaller Indiana projects. Small business owners and communities and municipal governments:
Business owners and old school politicians are among the most ideologue and knee-jerk of supporters. The seldom want to be bothered with details, they instinctively know, "construction is good". Interstates build regionalized economies. These support "big box" stores and increased travel distances for customer base. Cities like Evansville, Washington, Bloomington, & Martinsville will see increased "big box" activity as their down towns will fail. Martinsville and Washington might loose their local newspapers as locally owned businesses close and boxes do national and direct mail promotions. To the extent that more commerce does come into the community, more employees will travel in to the counties of these cities to work. Already, Bloomington imports more workers from outside Monroe County, so as Monroe County provides infrastructure for the regional shoppers and employees, the income and thus tax benefit will be enjoyed by the counties of residence of the workers and the corporate headquarters of the box merchants. Those hoping for a better job: Governments offer tax incentives to big businesses, while 80% of the USA jobs are provided by small companies with fewer than 20 employees. I-69 is a misguided government grab for the big fish by using our tax dollars to join in the national game of fighting for the return of big business employers with a larger expanse of asphalt. Fewer laborers believe that I-69 will provide work as Indiana has witnessed the "great sucking sound" of NAFTA manufacturing exit. I-69 has as a Core Goal nationally and even in Indiana:
Never mind that Congress overlooked the fact that "no build" provides two existing much shorter routes. Few now believe that they will profit from trade with Mexico. The problem is the momentum of this decade plus old mistake. Even Mexico has lost in this agreement as by far the majority of manufacturing has now moved to Asia, mostly China. (Perhaps what we should be studying is why I-64 is not more used.) So,
Who are the Winners?
The big winners are:
Please help us identify those who should be watched in this regard and why. Let's "follow the money!" To provide your submission to this list, click here. |
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