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Why the Privatize
Tolling proposal failed on Indiana's new terrain I-69. Hoosiers
say enough to Privatized Tolling.
The Evansville to Indianapolis I-69 expansion was in the fight for it's
life under challenge from Citizens and Citizens groups.
INDOT had until December 3rd 2006 to answer all the challenges
that
opponents' attorneys had amass over 13 years.
One part of that challenge was the incorporation of Daniels
hastily prepared patch to allow Privatized tolling in the 13 year, 3000
page Tier 1, I-69, 3C study, " I-69 TIER 1 TOLL ROAD
RE-EVALUATION REPORT"
This report was included in the suit, proving that I-69 as proposed
violates federal law. Tolling would have destroyed the entire
study. Daniels third "re-evaluation" for tolling only proved
again what two previous studies concluded.
Quoting Page one of the I-69 "Evansville to Indianapolis (SIU3) Final
Environmental Impact Study:
> "Some Previous proposals were
studied as toll roads. These proposals were not recommended
because the road would not be financially feasible as a toll
road. "Toll feasibility" requires that traffic levels not only
pay ongoing operating and maintenance costs, but that they also provide
revenues sufficient for construction debt service. Being "toll
feasible" requires higher traffic volumes than those which justify
construction of a non-toll facility."
> http://deis.i69indyevn.org/FEIS/Vol1-FEIS/PDF/Chapter01.pdf
The first answer to this suit was to INDOT's
formally request the Federal Highway Administration request to revise
the Tier 1, I-69 Evansville to Indianapolis Study, to allow privatized
tolling. (Daniels spun this in the media as his listening to
Hoosiers on the I-69 route.)
Daniels was forced to give up his privatized tolling authority of I-69
just granted as part of the Major Moves Bill by the Republican
controlled legislature, by a mere two votes, because it was that or
loose the I-69 federal court challenge.
Annoucing the withdrawal of tolling from I-69 3-C, NAFTA corridor 18
SIU 3, he requested with that annoucement that he wants the Major Moves
induced / newly bipartisan, spring 2007 State Legislature to "transfer"
his Privatized Toll Road leasing authority to grant eminent domain
powers to Cintra of Spain and Macquarie of Australia to a loop route
I-69 (NAFTA Corridor 18, SIU #2) TCC-I69, (Tolled Commerce Connector
-I69) .
A $810,000 INDOT study concluded that even as a non-tolled interstate,
this loop would bring too little benefit, but Daniels says he knows
better than the INDOT study.
All Daniels knows is that he wants to Privatized for 50,75 and
99 years our roads for foreign leases for his short term upfront
payments. The reason Daniels and others supporting privatized
tolls by long term contracts is that legislators will not raise the
tolls as quickly and as high as will private consortiums. These
Daniels toll roads will lead the nation to a higher than ever cost
highway system, competing with it's own parts for segmented profits
sent to foreign nations to build roads in other nations and pay the
privatized retirement funds of Australian citizens.
Think, is this the best taxation scheme for our roads? Currently
we pay 36 cents per gallon tax on our gas, 18cents federal and 18cents
state. 100% of the state goes to roads and 90.5% of federal is
earmarked for Indiana transportation funding.
Ignoring the transponder fees and billing charges that Daniels' foreign
contracts on our roads allow and just looking at the beginning 5cents
per mile tolling, that is an increased gas tax of $1 per gallon
for Hoosiers whose cars get 20 MPG. That is drive 20 miles, you
use a gallon of gas as you are tolled $1 for the 20 miles too.
Problem with this tax, is it goes electronically to the tolling lease
holders, who paid their entire lease up front. And this is just
the start of ever increasing, generations long, tolling increases,
never before seen in the USA.
When do you pay a 75 year lease up front? When you are getting on
heck of a good deal!
Hoosiers need to look out for the profit guarantees (called
our "Moral Obligation" in Major Moves) and the no compete
clauses, Daniels' is granting in 3 and 4 generations long "concession
agreement" international trade contracts on our trade and
transportation corridors.
Indiana will be better served if we have a legislature locked
up and unable to agree on anything than blindly following our Napoleon
like Governor.
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