When A Deal's Not A Deal For Everyone: South Bend Columnist Pokes At Major Moves
Jack Colwell of the South Bend Tribune offers an oft-humorous "Q&A" column on the Toll Road lease. Here are a few highlights:
"Q. How would this deal, if completed, look in 20 years, 40 years, 50 years, 75 years?
"A.If
we could foretell the value of money, the value of the road, the
performance of the operators and the profits the consortium would amass
by those times, we would know. We can only guess. The deal could be
hailed as good for Indiana or make Indiana look like the Indians in
that story about the 'fantastic' beads they got for selling Manhattan
Island.
Q. Why is opposition strongest in northern Indiana, while many
legislators from other areas tend "to agree more with the governor's
view that the lease could be the best innovation since sliced bread?
"A.
Simple. Other areas of the state never receive any money from the Toll
Road. Now, they would, getting up-front money from the lease for Ohio
River bridges, Marion County projects and roads across other parts of
the state. And since folks in other parts don't often drive on the Toll
Road, they couldn't care less if tolls were doubled, quadrupled and
then hiked even more year after year.
"Q. But the governor
says no area would gain more than St. Joseph County and Elkhart County.
Should residents of those counties believe this would be a good deal
for them?
"A. Depends on whether they also believe in the
Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and the ability of the Groundhog next
Thursday to predict precisely the weather."
People in South Bend have always received poor information from the local media. I came across this information from the Indy Star that helps explain many things.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060129/OPINION/601290376
Posted by: SB Resident | Jan 31, 2006 at 03:55 PM