By ANNIE GOELLER, Daily Journal of Johnson County staff writer
A recent college graduate and a Johnson County farmer both worry a proposed toll road will ruin their long-range plans.
Both spoke against the Indiana Commerce Connector, proposed to run through six central Indiana counties, at a meeting Thursday night. They joined nearly 150 people who came to the meeting looking for answers and a way to fight against the plan.
Steve Miller, who owns land in Johnson County, said he views his property as a retirement plan.
"Our land is our 401(k)," Miller said. "This is no different than us going and devaluing (Gov.) Mitch Daniels' stock. We bought that land for our future."
Jennifer Fryar, who recently graduated from college, planned to start an equine business on family-owned land. Now, she wonders if a toll road will plow through the property and destroy her plans.
The two were among nearly 20 people who spoke at the meeting conducted by two grass-roots organizations, Concerned Citizens of Johnson County and Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads.
Steve Bonney, of Lafayette, encouraged the audience to join one of the groups to take action, including a rally planned at the Statehouse when the bill proposing the project goes up for another vote. Bonney is also president of Sustainable Earth, a nonprofit group that focuses on developing sustainable farming and food systems.
He told the audience about the negative aspects of the proposed toll road, including air, noise and water pollution, lower property values, loss of farmland and an added burden on local governments for emergency services and local road improvements.
Three local legislators and members of the county council, Farm Bureau and groups that have fought against the Interstate 69 extension between Indianapolis and Evansville all spoke at the meeting.
State Sens. Greg Walker and Brent Waltz answered questions and told the group why they voted against the bill that proposes both the Indiana Commerce Connector and the Illiana Expressway, which is a route proposed in northwest Indiana.
State Rep. Milo Smith also attended and told the group he was undecided about his vote, which is expected to come in the next weeks when the bill goes to the House of Representatives.
"I haven't made up my mind yet because I haven't had the debate," Smith said.
Waltz said he voted against the bill and would be lobbying state representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, to vote against the bill.
"And when it comes to the Senate for a final vote, I will vote against it again," Waltz said, to a roar of cheers and applause.
Walker said he didn't agree with the bill either and thought an amendment proposed in the Senate, which would have separated the projects, should be considered again.
Walker didn't buy into the state's dismissal of an Indiana Department of Transportation study that showed an outer beltway around Indianapolis wouldn't significantly relieve traffic and shouldn't be pursued further.
"I don't think the study is flawed," he said.
He was concerned about the state's reasoning for proposing the toll road, which Daniels has said can pay for the construction of I-69.
"The commerce connector should not be used as a vehicle to pay for I-69," Walker said. "I'm not opposed to roads. I'm opposed to the wrong roads."
Landowners commended the senators for their votes but said they still aren't being heard by legislators who voted to approve the bill.
"We shouldn't even be here tonight. We shouldn't have to be here if our votes were included in the process," Bonney said.
Other landowners brought up concerns about the county losing $400,000 or more in property tax receipts, the adverse actions article in the northern Indiana toll road lease and whether that would be included in another toll road lease, and doubts that the toll road would bring new businesses and tax dollars to the county.
Tax incentives the county or local cities and towns will give to attract new businesses will actually reduce how much is being collected in tax dollars, said Rebecca Morrison, who lives in Franklin.
"You don't end up getting any money from (new businesses) for a long time. With farmland, we already have that. How will it balance?" she asked.
If interstates automatically bring economic development, Indiana should have much more money than it does, said Sam Flenner, a field lobbyist with the Hoosier Environmental Council.
"More interstates are not going to bring more industry. If that were true, we'd already be within the fourth and eighth wealthiest state. This is all about I-69," he said.
Caroline Fulkerson said she didn't want legislators giving their authority to the governor without knowing the details of the projects. Her comment was met with cheers and applause.
"I don't like the idea of giving (Daniels) authority and you guys not having oversight," she said.