BS Indiana Government (Indianapolis, Bloomington, Anderson: 2013, lease, schools)

[msamhunter]

Senate budget pushes highway expansion, small tax cuts | 2013-04-04 | Indianapolis Business Journal | IBJ.com

Why don't they put that in a summer study!

[ischyros]

Does I-65 and I-70 both really need to be 6 lanes all the way across the state?? I've driven both and never thought that would be necessary. Also, more talk about the unnecessary Commerce Connector beltway around Indy.

[msamhunter]

No driving through podunk Indiana on 65 or 70 requires 6 lanes. Only access lanes you need are 65/70 in Indy. 65 in Lake County and the Borman. Other than that highway traffic in Indiana is a joke and massive highways are not a requirement. Adding a bypass to a bypass, that's funny.

[wh15395]

As much as I completely hate the state government, I-65 could use six lanes between Chicago and Columbus. Indianapolis needs a mass transit system more, but they don't and won't ever care about that.

[ischyros]

If any highway needs to be 6 lanes, it's I-69 up to Anderson. With I-65 now 6 lanes all the way to Lebanon, that highway is better. It's been a while since I've driven it south so I don't know how traffic is to Columbus. But I think I-69 to Anderson needs 6 lanes more desperately than I-65 or I-70 need it all the way across the state. Or at least to Exit 10 since they built the mall and two new hospitals there.

[rrah]

I didn't really care about Pence's proposed tax cut.

I-65, through parts of Lake County, is 6 lanes. It needs to be extended a bit farther south than it currently is. From about Lowell or so to Indianapolis, I think 4 lanes is fine. I've driven that section many times so am more familiar with it. The section closest to KY should be 6 lanes and then can narrow to 4 I think. Probably needs to be 6 lanes down to Columbus or so from Indy. (again, I don't drive it a lot)

What's most surprising to me is the Indiana Commerce Connection is mentioned, but the Illiana Expressway is not. Only one section of the new part of I-69 is mentioned. I'm assuming that's the section in Monroe County. I've heard there is opposition to it in Morgan and Marion counties. My guess: they'll focus on the Commerce Connection and skip the part of I 69 from Martinsville to Indy saying the Commerce Connection meets that need. (It really doesn't, but that won't stop politicians from claiming it does.) That would be bad news in my opinion. Get the darn thing done. I'm tired of the 22 stop lights between Monroe County and 465. Build it already. Just last week another person died trying to cross 37 in Morgan County.

[grmasterb]

I've been of the impression most in Bloomington don't want 69. Why should the state shove it down their throats?

[X-Greensboro Resident]

This state is run by a bunch of backwards idiots... Pence is their chief idiot! What a joker! Just think, this moron will be running for president pretty soon....

[Andy]

Originally Posted by X-Greensboro Resident

This state is run by a bunch of backwards idiots... Pence is their chief idiot! What a joker! Just think, this moron will be running for president pretty soon....

Smarter, more qualified than the joker we have in office now.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by Andy

Smarter, more qualified than the joker we have in office now.

yeaaaaaa, riiiiiiiiight

I'll admit that having 3 both ways on 65 to Columbus would be cool.

Robbing Peter to pay Paul just to say there is a tax cut in place ... well, where are they going to snag that revenue from? Bet it will be schools.

And good lord, that stupid commerce connector AGAIN?????

I thought that genius of a toll road lease was supposed to pay for roads FOREVER ... guess not:

http://www.ibj.com/study-calls-india.../article/38411

and *gasp* ... there's a pension problem in INDIANA??? NOOOOOOOO!

The Senate plan also spends roughly $100 million more to pay down pension liabilities, including pension payments to teachers hired before 1996, a line item which could cost the state upward of $1 billion a year in a few years. Daniels dismissed the problem through his eight-year tenure, but lawmakers, including Kenley, pushed to invest more in the state's teacher pension stabilization fund.