Rep. Soliday Says INDOT Violating Law With Illiana Expressway Study

GOP Rep. Ed Soliday says that INDOT is violating the Illiana Expressway study legislation by limiting its focus to the private financing option pushed by Governor Mitch Daniels, reports the Northwest Indiana Times. Soliday said in a news release that the intent of the Illiana Expressway legislation was to explore all feasible financing options.

Soliday says he is willing to take the agency to court. He argues INDOT is violating state law by pursuing a feasibility study of the proposed highway that would examine only one financing option -- the private tollway model championed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Taking Down Words published Rep. Ed Soliday's news release detailing his concerns that INDOT wasn't following the intent of the Illiana Expressway legislation:

"Today, State Representative Ed Soliday (R-Valparaiso) sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Commissioner Karl B. Browning copying Governor Daniels requesting that INDOT reconsider their decision to focus exclusively on a public-private partnership arrangement as the funding source for the Illiana Expressway, but rather explore all feasible funding options available.

"'My intention of the amendment to Senate Enrolled Act 105 was to have the firm who is chosen by INDOT to conduct the feasibility study of the Illiana Expressway explore all reasonable funding options,' said Soliday. 'I am disappointed that the true spirit and intent of this amendment was apparently overlooked because my careful effort to explicitly enumerate this objective was how I was able to gain strong bipartisan support for this language. It is my hope that the officials at INDOT will reconsider their decision.'

"'The Governor and I both took an oath to uphold the laws of the state of Indiana and an unbiased feasibility study is clearly critical to ensure public confidence in both our offices.'

"Representative Soliday is requesting alternatives to current INDOT direction in the RFP process. These alternatives need to be compliant with 2007 SB105 which was signed into law by the Governor earlier this year."

Blue Indiana weighs in with additional commentary about the Illiana Expressway flap regarding interstate highway privatization:

As Rep. Soliday knows, this isn't exactly a popular idea with, you know, the ordinary Hoosiers who drive on these roads every day.

Copyright 2007, ChristopherHedges.com, All Rights Reserved.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads

Rep. Ed Soliday Blasts INDOT's Focus On Private Cash For Illiana Expressway

Valparaiso Rep. Ed Soliday sent a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation complaining that the state transportation agency is pushing for private cash funding of the proposed Illiana Expressway and not exploring all options, as he says is required by the Illiana Expressway legislation.

Soliday -- a member of the Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee -- sent the letter Thursday.

Reports the Post-Tribune:

"In my opinion as the author of the provision, this directly contradicts the spirit and intention of the legislation," Soliday wrote.

The Northwest Indiana Times writes:

State law calls for financing options to be included in the study. But Soliday said the bid request that went out to consultants shows the state only is interested in the privately financed tollway model advocated by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

"Right now, I don't think they're in compliance with the spirit, intent and letter of the law," Soliday said, adding that attorneys he has spoken with agree. "It appears they defaulted to a (public-private partnership), which is what they wanted to do all along ... I think their credibility is at risk. I think my credibility is at risk."

It seems to me that the whole Illiana Expressway proposal has always been touted as a public-private partnership project -- per Gov. Mitch Daniels' philosophy -- so it shouldn't seem surprising that the state would seek to gain funding for the Illiana Expressway using private money as the first resort, rather than looking for additional state funds during a time when taxpayers all over the state are in virtual revolt over substantial property tax increases. But, I can see Rep. Ed Soliday's point in wanting to explore all options for financing the project so that the best proposals can be selected and implemented -- whether they are public or private or some combination of the both.

Copyright 2007, ChristopherHedges.com, All Rights Reserved.

Tech Tags: Illiana Illiana+Expressway Illiana+Legislation Illiana+Toll+Road Interstate Transportation Public+Private+Toll+Roads