Democrats try to alter Indiana Toll Road plan

INDIANAPOLIS | Senate Democrats staged a last-ditch effort Wednesday to derail the governor's plan to privatize the Indiana Toll Road.

But the Republican-controlled Senate overwhelmingly defeated more than a dozen attempts to alter legislation giving GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels permission to sign a 75-year private lease.

"This is the kind of bill that I thought should be bipartisan," said Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary.

Dozens of road projects would be funded by the $3.85 billion offered by Cintra-Macquarie, a Spanish-Australian partnership that runs the Chicago Skyway. And Daniels calls the lease deal the only way to revitalize the Hoosier economy.

"I believe with all my heart that he is wrong," said Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington. She suggested the state scrap the deal and instead borrow $1.5 billion against future toll revenue. That amendment failed 16-33.

Republicans control the Senate by a 33-17 margin, and Democrats stood alone on most of their amendments. The failures included Rogers' attempt to set aside $100 million in lease proceeds for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.

Rogers told senators her proposal had the governor's support.

"He may have told you that, but he should have called me, too," said Sen. Robert Meeks, the LaGrange Republican who is sponsoring House Bill 1008.

Rogers' amendment failed 18-31.

The Senate made minor changes Wednesday, adopting a Meeks amendment that would set aside $15 million to match federal dollars pledged for a large-scale expansion of the Gary/Chicago International Airport. The funding would be carved from the $60 million in economic development revenue the Toll Road deal would give to Lake and Porter counties.

Sens. Sue Landske, R-Ceder Lake, and Vic Heinold, R-Kouts, voted to give the RDA $100 million over 10 years. Heinold said fellow Republicans were turned off by the Democrats' unflinching opposition to the lease deal.

"We're not getting any bipartisan support on this," he said.

Before the vote, Heinold told Northwest Indiana Democrats they could secure the RDA funding by pledging to vote for the overall lease legislation when the Senate considers it today.

"I've never liked to be in a position to be trading a vote for a bill or something in a bill," Rogers said, adding that she plans to vote against the lease deal.

A successful Senate vote today would send the legislation to a conference committee to work out House and Senate differences.

Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond, said he hopes the committee will give the RDA the $100 million promised by the governor.

"Last year, he was a champion of Lake County," Mrvan said of Daniels. "We expect him to keep his word."