By Aleks Tapinsh, Truth Staff
ELKHART -- During the Indiana Toll Road's 50 years of operation, state government awarded $47 million in grants for local road projects for the seven counties in the road's corridor, according to an area state representative.
Gov. Mitch Daniels wants to lease the toll road to private companies for 75 years. The highest bid the state received was $3.85 billion.
State Rep. Jackie Walorski wanted to see how the toll road money has been spent and to make sure money generated by the lease will be secured for road projects in the corridor.
Elkhart County received 4 percent of the funding, compared with St. Joseph County's 63 percent, Lake's 18 percent, Porter's 11 percent, LaPorte 's 1 percent, LaGrange's 2 percent and Steuben's 1 percent, according to the data Daniels' office provided to Walorski.
Walorski said Saturday in Mishawaka she'd support Daniels' Major Moves initiative, including the toll road lease, if local project funding is secured for the future. She has not yet introduced her amendments, but is expected to do so before Thursday's deadline.
Under the amendments, any future changes to how the lease money is spent would have to receive at least two-thirds of the votes in the Legislature.
Gov. Mitch Daniels favors any measures to secure future funding that is within the law, said governor's spokeswoman Jane Jankowski Monday. She said, however, she couldn't say if the proposed amendment is within the law.
Walorski, a Lakeville Republican, also proposed creation of a regional development authority for Elkhart, LaGrange, and Steuben counties, similar to the one in northwestern Indiana. St. Joseph County is not included in the amendment.
"It could be a very good vehicle to foster regional economic development," the governor's spokeswoman said.
Counties along the toll road corridor would receive $1.35 billion of the toll road lease money for state projects. The amount is equal to 34 percent of the bid amount.
The toll road corridor counties are Steuben, LaGrange, Elkhart, St. Joseph, LaPorte, Porter and Lake.
House Bill 1008 says the 34 percent will not include $225 million in toll road bond repayment. Gov. Mitch Daniels, however, thinks that the bond repayment should be included in the 34 percent, said Jankowski.
"It's something we will continue to discuss," she said.
Elkhart County Council President John Letherman wants to see the bonds repaid with money above the 34 percent set aside for the toll road counties.
"I will turn my back on him if he does -- everyone will," Letherman said Monday, reacting to the governor's proposal.
At first a skeptic, Letherman now believes the lease money will mean much more than just building roads and bridges.
"It means that Indiana will now have money to jump-start the development of an economic transition -- the transition from a largely manufacturing economy to an economy with manufacturing and warehousing and distribution at its base," he wrote in a letter to The Truth. "This means lots and lots of jobs for Hoosiers."
Major Moves will create jobs and boost Indiana economy faster than a bond against future tolls, he said.
"Pretty soon, people who are against it are going to have their hands out," Letherman said during a presentation to the Elkhart Rotary Club Monday.
On top of the 34 percent for the seven toll road counties, $50 million a year for three years would be divided among every Indiana county for bridge and road work. Elkhart County's share is $1.15 million a year.