Times of Northwest Indiana
Just before midnight Wednesday, House Democrats forced an initial vote on Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels' plan to lease the Indiana Toll Road.
The Democrats took the unusual step of requiring a formal vote on whether to accept the legislation from committee. That allowed for a brief debate, during which Rep. Craig Frye, D-Mishawaka, said that citizens who live near the Toll Road are fiercely opposed to the lease proposition.
If the deal goes through, those citizens will exact their revenge at the polls, Frye warned House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and lawmakers in general. That led to a brief confronation in which Bosma turned off Frye's microphone, and Frye attempted to shout over Bosma.
When the dust settled, Republicans approved the motion on a 50-46 vote. The House still must consider amendments to House Bill 1008, the legislation authorizing the lease, and take a final vote. Next week marks the deadline to send the measure the Senate.
Republicans control both chambers. If House Democrats continue their unified opposition, all but one of the 52 House Republicans would be needed to vote the legislation over the Senate.
Gov. Daniels needs both the House and Senate to approve the measure before he can collect the $3.85 billion a Spanish-Australian consortium has offered for the right to run the Toll Road and collect tolls for the next 75 years.