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."

Comments

[SB Resident]

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