Andrews' comments on I-69 FEIS errors

PUBLIC COMMENTS: February 5, 2004

Pat Andrews' Comments on I-69 FEIS Errors

Pat Andrews, Vice-President of McANA, spoke at a press conference in which cost-benefit errors in INDOT's I-69 FEIS were reported.

INDOT Commissioner, J. Bryan Nicol, is trying to tell the taxpayers of Indiana that he has a thoroughbred for sale. But, in truth, what he has is tired, old nag with a bum leg. He's trying to sell us Spam at caviar prices.

If Nicol gets his way, most of us will just pay with increased gas prices and lost road projects that we really need but can no longer afford.

Worse than that, though, there are very real people in Perry Township who will lose their homes and businesses by eminent domain to pay for that old nag.

They will see $100-200 million in assessed value ripped out by INDOT's bulldozers. All Perry residents will see their tax rate rise by $1 for each $100 mill in value that is torn down.

They will see their fire and ambulance response times go up. The students at Rosa Parks Elementary School will spend more time on the bus. Those left along the edges of this concrete wall will see their property values drop; and most people have their live savings tied up in their homes.

The people of Perry Township cannot afford I-69.

Let's call a nag - a nag.

Let's call Spam - Spam.

And let's call I-69 a bad investment for the people of Indiana.