Indiana House Democratic leader Parick Bauer writes in USA Today about his displeasure over the Indiana Toll Road deal. Keep your eye on the cards -- he deals one or two from the bottom of the deck. Though the state is leasing the road to a private consortium, Bauer keeps calling it a sale:
We are told the sale of the Indiana Toll Road to foreign investors will help us address infrastructure improvements over the next decade. For a one-time infusion of cash, we will be giving up possession of a state asset for 75 years.
He also has a rather narrow and negative view of business:
A private company's primary motivation is to earn a profit. If profits are not being earned, a company reduces costs by cutting personnel and services.
Actually, private companies frequently combat lower profits by increasing services and cutting the price to consumers. A monopoly wouldn't have to do that, of course, and many think the state is giving the consortium a 75-year de facto monopoly. The state retains control over its property, however, setting out strict guidelines for toll-road rate increases, for example. And the toll road isn't the only route drivers have to consider in getting across northern Indiana.
Of all the criticisms about the roll road lease, the one that seems strongest to me is the 75-year term. We have elections so people can vote for the status quo or for change. When an administration commits the state to something for 75 years, far beyond its own existence, it limits the ability of future voters to have a meaningful say in their government.
