Lawmakers rejecting Toll Road passes

June 6, 2008

By Mary Beth Schneider, Indianapolis Star

The Indiana Toll Road has offered free passage to Indiana legislators -- but so far most of the lawmakers are saying no thanks.

The toll road, which was leased by the state in 2006 to an Australian-Spanish consortium, sent free transponders to 38 northern Indiana legislators which would let them use the so-called "i-Zoom" lanes without paying any tolls. Spokesman Matt Pierce said a letter was also sent to all 150 legislators offering them the transponders. He refused to name the legislators, or to say whether any of the lawmakers who do not live in northern Indiana had accepted the offer.

The leasing of the toll road, coupled with the recent near doubling of tolls for motorists who don't have the i-Zoom transponders, remains a political hot potato, particularly in the counties that are transected by the toll road.

That, said Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, is why he tossed his in a corner when it came and has no plans to use it.

"I can't imagine anyone wanting to use that," Dermody said. "With gas prices at $4 and the lack of jobs and all of a sudden you've got legislators driving (the toll road) for free?"

And State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said he threw his out.

"It's probably in a landfill somewhere," he said.

He was among the House Democrats who unanimously voted against the toll road lease, dubbed "Major Moves" and pushed by Gov . Mitch Daniels.

"I was adamantly opposed to the toll road deal. I'm not going to drive along paying no tolls when other people are driving along paying more."

But Rep. Dick Dodge, R-Pleasant Lake, said he did plan to use it, though he hadn't yet as he hadn't had any reason to be on the toll road.

Asked if he had any qualms about driving for free when his constituents would have to pay, he said, "I don't think so. No."

The letter sent by Pierce, the director of communications and government relations for the Indiana Toll Road Concession Co., told legislators: "As public officials who are often required to utilize the toll road in performing your official duties, we wanted to continue the privilege that has historically been extended to you and offer you each a non-revenue i-Zoom transponder, to be used free of charge on two-axle vehicles."

Pierce said the intention was that the toll-free rides only be for official business, though the letter never tells legislators that its use is limited. He also said the toll road made the offer because it felt required to by the contract. The contract states that the concessionaire "shall not have the rights to establish, collect or enforce payment of tolls with respect to vehicles used in firefighting, vehicles used in law enforcement, vehicles bearing diplomatic license plates, ambulances or vehicles owned or operated by the state or any department of agency thereof."

Rep. Randy Borror, the Fort Wayne Republican who sponsored the Major Moves legislation in the House, said the intention as far as he knew was to make sure police and fire vehicles weren't charged tolls -- but he said he had never heard any discussion of giving legislators a free ride. Borror was not among the legislators offered the free transponder.