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Governor Mitch Daniels' Investment Vision Hits $200 Million Mark

Written by Murray Clark, Chairman, Indiana Republican Party

Tuesday, 07 August 2007

In the 2004 election Hoosiers voted for the visionary leadership of Mitch Daniels. He traveled around the state and promised the political courage and innovation necessary to change the direction of our state.

A prominent example of Governor Daniels’ far-reaching plan to move Indiana forward hit an important milestone this week. The lease of the Indiana Toll Road, part of the governor’s Major Moves plan, passed the $200 million mark in interest earned for Hoosier taxpayers. The numbers don’t lie: at a rate of over $500,000 a day, the lease of the Toll Road generated more money in interest in one year than the Toll Road generated in income during its entire fifty-year existence. In the first two years of Major Moves, state government has spent over $1.5 billion on Indiana’s transportation infrastructure.

Governor Daniels’ leadership means that Indiana has the only funded ten-year transportation plan in the United States. While other states are borrowing money, floating bonds, or raising taxes to build roads, Indiana is able to pay for its projects without resorting to any shortsighted “buy now and pay later” methods. Furthermore, Indiana’s transportation plan is now funded for a longer duration than the federal government’s.

Additionally, the company leasing the Toll Road has made a substantial pledge to improving the quality of Interstate 80/90. It has committed to over $150 million in road improvements this year alone. It is funding a new State Police post and contributing funds to increase the number of safety officers on the road. In another safety measure, it purchased $5 million worth of snow removal equipment from dealers in South Bend.

Hoosiers benefit every day from the leadership of Governor Daniels, and now there is an additional $200 million in the bank to help pave the road to Indiana’s comeback. Thanks to Governor Daniels’ vision, Indiana will have miles and miles of new opportunities along the roads built by Major Moves.