The bad economic situation is rippling through our lives in a lot of different ways. Yet another one of those is the decline of the state’s investments from its sale of the toll road.
Since the
inception of the Major Moves program,[sale of the toll road] investments from much of the $3.8 billion Toll Road lease have missed projections set in June 2006 by Gov. Mitch Daniels’ administration, according to a review by The Indianapolis Star.In fiscal 2007, the administration estimated the
Major Movesconstruction fund would generate $202 million in income, but figures from the state treasurer’s annual report show the fund produced $127.4 million. In fiscal 2008, which ended June 30, that projection was $170.7 million, but the investments produced $106.7 million in income.The combined shortfall over those two years: $138.6 million.
(The “Major Moves” moniker annoys me. It smells like propaganda every time I see it in print or hear it on the news. A panoply of the senses!)
The official word at the moment, however, is that no projects are expected to be delayed, at least between now and 2011.
The “Major Moves” monikor may “annoy” you, but at least it is the factually correct name of the program.
What I find annoying is the constant, deliberate, and dishonest labeling of the toll road lease.
Why not leave that to the “drive by media” Doug, they’re much more adept at mislabeling things to suit their own agenda.
Ownership of property consists of a bundle of rights – you can sell some or all of them in a transaction. The state sold a majority of its rights to the toll road for the next 70 odd years.
As for “Major Moves” — if the governor had started calling it the “Mitch Daniels is Awesome!” program, would I be obligated to refer to it as such?
“…at least through 2011.” Nice touch!
Doug, no offense but you might want to stick to collection law, not real estate law as you are incorrect, absolutely nothing was “sold”. (but I think you know that)
As for the monikor, following your logic, we could now refer to programs like “The New Deal” as “The Really Fricked Up Raw Deal”??
“sold its rights” Something was sold? Correct? The right to maintain the road? The right to set the tolls? The right to allow free use in the event of an emergency without reimbursement?
Old Zanky swerved away from the subject like it was a deer on the highway. Don’t worry Doug, the GOP will find a way to blame it on the Dems, they always do.
Hmmm…musing on monikers – Major Moves, Clear Skies, Iraqi Freedom, No Child Left Behind, Square Deal, New Deal . . .
at least it is the factually correct name of the program
Sure, it’s Christmas, but the proliferation of inedible fruitcake and undrinkable nogs should not convince anyone that a few extra eggs will be good for the custard.
1. It’s the PR name of the program the Daniels administration adopted, not more. You may then argue it’s the proper name of the program, but “factually correct”, in addition to the hint of desperation in the redundancy, raises the question of a definition for “Major” (as opposed to, say, “Unprecedented”), as well as some demonstration that the thing involves Moves, plural, rather than just one Move, namely, the
sellingLeasing of Public Rights to Public Property for Such a Sustained Term that Even 98% of the People Alive at the Time of Adoption, but Yet Too Young to Have Voted On It Are Unlikely to Outlive It. Indeed, the money goes to fund other projects, but none, so far as I know, which wouldn’t exist without it.2. As such I think Doug’s aesthetic objection is as valid as the claim of Daniels’ naming rights; and when it comes to news organizations they ought to be careful about such things. I myself don’t really have an objection to the Racist Star’s choice in the matter, but then I’m old and less hopeful than Doug. For example, the headline ” ‘Major Moves’ Shortfall 37% In Just Two Years” seems perfectly fine to me.
3. To me there’s certainly a whiff of the propagandistic about the thing, as well as a big dollop of that shift in military code names, beginning in the Sixties, that made them sound like a Special Olympics for the armed forces, as Operation Torch or Overlord gave way to Operation Double Plus Good Freedom On The March, You Betcha. Just an aesthetic thing. You supporters may go on waving the Major Moves flag forever. Please do.
Jesus fellahs, one flaming arrow at a time. Craig I didn’t dodge the subject at all, I never addressed the subject of the article, I simply pointed out how those who wish to denigrate the Governor ALWAYS say he “sold” the toll road when he didn’t. That to me is annoying, especially when smart people do it.
As to monikors, every Governor “names” projects for Christ sakes, I realize Doug hates the program or anything associated with Mitch Daniels and I felt it was a “petty” swipe on Doug’s part.
As for Doghouse, while I find your illiteration eloquent, one would have to think it a bit of “overkill” just to re-hash a tired old argument. (I know, I know, you and some pals always had plans for that old toll road didn’t ya?)
As for the basis of the article, it’s relatively straightforward. Our investments will not reach what we hoped for. Wow, no shit??
Dougs implication (and the Stars’ to some extent) is that we have LOST money because we won’t hit our projected return on our investments. It’s not a loss if you never gained it, but it’s a great line to stir shit and lead people to believe we lost money when we didn’t.
In closing, like you Obama fans like to say, you lost, get over it.
Wait… that’s the Bushies’ line.
I think we probably say things like, “THIS is what a mandate looks like” or some such.
I would never tell my opposition to get over it. Their bellyaching is like a symphony to my ears. The experience of winning would be diminished just a bit if the whining were suddenly gone.
Conan! What is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women.
Plans for the Toll Road? Hardly. (And weren’t we discussing the name of the program and its proper description? How’d you divine my position from that? I think Indianapolis’ new Football Barn is a piece of over-priced, poorly designed tinsel that’s a much poorer place for the Colts to play than the Dome was, and I think both the naming rights deal and the sum total of the deal zooming Jim Irsay into the upper ranks of NFL profitability both stink. I’m not sure what any of that tells you about my stance on public financing of sports stadiums.)
My objection to the program was 1) I didn’t care for being talked down to just for objecting to the rush-rush timetable; 2) I doubly object to having Mitch Daniels portrayed as the Font of All Economic Wisdom just because he took a brief sabbatical from dining at the government trough to take a political sinecure with Eli Lilly; 3) I’m from Indianapolis, where self-described forward-thinking Republican Entrepreneurial government has saddled us with the bill for resurrecting the value of downtown land in time for the old-money landowners to renegotiate all those 100-year leases expiring between 1980-2010. Not to mention all the money gets funneled through a taxing entity (the CIB) with no accountability to the people whose money it once was.
And I think I-69 is an abomination, like golf a waste of good pasture land, only longer. You let me know when it’s finished.
“Doug, no offense but you might want to stick to collection law, not real estate law as you are incorrect, absolutely nothing was “soldâ€. (but I think you know that)”
I’m younger than 70 years. So I guess I have never really “bought” anything in my life. I guess we’re all just “leasing” stuff until we’re 70. Then it’s ours.
“As to monikors, every Governor “names†projects for Christ sakes, I realize Doug hates the program or anything associated with Mitch Daniels and I felt it was a “petty†swipe on Doug’s part.”
Yeah. That’s it. We’re all just hatin’ on poor Mitchie.
Eastern time-Toll road SALE = Major Bowel Movement
well chuck, everybody has to bitch about somethin’ now don’t they?