(October 10 update)
I'm primarily surveying the Indiana side of the river. This is a working document, and will be edited as I go. Please add to the list in comments or private e-mails. Also, please correct any mistakes.
CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL OFFICE 2010
Shane Gibson, Democrat for Dist. 72 Indiana House (Tribune column 8/17/10)
Chuck Freiberger, Democrat for Dist. 46 Indiana Senate, wrote this via Facebook; we suspect it might possibly represent opposition to tolls, albeit it as phrased in political doublespeak: "I am in support of building and maintaining infrastructure, such as a bridge, to make it easier for Hoosiers to commute to and from work and other daily activities, however I do not agree with placing a toll on the bridge as it is currently presented."
Ron Grooms, Republican for Dist. 46 Indiana Senate, wrote this via Facebook. He'll not tell us what he thinks until the bi-state authority tells him the party line to parrot: "There is a bi-state bridge coalition (committee), appointed by the Governors of Indiana and Kentucky that is reviewing many options to fund the bridges project. When the coalition issues their report, I will have a comment on the Bridges Project. Thanks, Ron."
Grooms then indicated on his Facebook page that the bi-state authority would not reach a conclusion until (conveniently) after the November election. Finally, Grooms followed the lead of Ed Clere and deleted the exchange in its entirety.
Jim Freiberger, candidate for Floyd County Council, District Two (relayed to the author on 10/07/10).
GOVERNMENT
Doug England, Mayor of New Albany ... "I am firmly against using tolls as a method to finance the Bridges Project."
Marcey Wisman, New Albany City Clerk (to the author)
Mike Lockhart, member of Sellersburg Town Council (via Facebook)
New Albany City Council (resolution 8/19/10; 6-2-1; "no" votes from Kevin Zurschmiede and Bob Caesar, with Diane Benedetti abstaining). Zurschmiede later signed an anti-toll petition at the Farmers Market. The author believes that KZ regards this action as a joke, even if no one laughs.
Paul Robertson, District 70 State Representative (Corydon Democrat on October 6, 2010)
Also: The Louisville Metro Council has unanimously passed a resolution opposing tolling existing bridges.
PRINT MEDIA
Tribune & Evening News (Bridges plan not worth any cost, April 24, 2010)
ELECTRONIC/BLOGOSPHERE
NA Confidential blog (damned near every day recently)
I have sent Facebook messages to the following, soliciting a position: Ron Grooms and Ed Clere. Days are ticking away without responses from any of them. Okay, readers -- what's being missed here?
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4 comments:
You've not missed anyone as of yet...this was a question asked of nearly every candidate that appeared at Destinations last Spring. Shane and John Bottorff were the only two to say the bridges project as-is was a bad idea. Chuck Freiberger and Ron Grooms expressed similar sentiments...that tolls would be unfortunate but that the two bridge solution was the way to go. Amazingly, I forgot to ask Ed Clere that question, but he did come to the 8664 meeting we hosted. He did not mention what his thinking on the project was that night.
I spoke with Clere the other weekend and he used the same argument they always use. It is inevitable. He has also said that he doubts the tolls will actually be 3 dollars.
...any business/transportation academics from IU or Purdue who can sign an open letter and publish it in the Tribune and Courier refuting the Bridges Project?
4th District Floyd County Council John Schellenberger told me today he is opposed to tolls and figures they threw the extra bridge into the mix to kill the project.
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