The Libertarian Party of Marion County is disappointed in the waste of finances and resources in Prop 145 the City-County Council recently took steps toward approving. The first leg of the project, which has an estimated cost of $96.3 million, covers only 13.6 miles of the 37.5 mile total project, which also requires the creation of dedicated bus lanes. Congress has yet to approve the $75 million grant the city is counting on, and the citizens are going to be asked to pay a higher income tax to subsidize the remainder.
Chris Mayo, chairman of the LPMC, said he is especially disappointed that the council has taken steps to avoid accountability for the project. “Our City-County Council is offering an expensive, counterproductive solution to a problem that doesn’t exist,” he said. “They’re offering it to the voter as a referendum so that, when it passes, our elected officials won’t have to be held accountable when it fails.”
According to the Census Bureau, only 2.5% of Indianapolis is without a car, yet all residents of the city will be asked to foot the bill. “Many of the roads into the city are in deplorable condition,” said Mayo. “Why don’t we use a fraction of those funds to make Southeastern Avenue safe, for example? We should be looking for cost-effective ways to alleviate congestion, not expensive, impractical ways to add to it.”
Mayo also expressed disappointment in the lack of details being provided about the project. “At this juncture, we don’t know how much this venture will add to congestion, what it will do to homes and businesses along the route, or if it’s even the most effective route to take through the city. Citizens should have all the information available before they step into the voting booth in November.”
Finishing his statement, Mayo added that we should seek methods to truly help the workers that rely on IndyGo. “There are a lot of other more effective and practical ways to improve commuting for Indy’s workforce without pouring millions of dollars into an ill-advised, grandiose bus route that benefits contractors more than it does taxpayers.”
Comments are closed.