December 2008 Entries
Dec. 24, 2008
Flooding has been a periodic issue west of Goshen, but fixing it won't come without cost
A report put together by consulting firm American Structurepoint puts the long-term cost of addressing drainage and flooding problems west of Goshen at $10.6 million. Addressing the most immediate problems, meanwhile, would cost $2.7 million.
No one has signed off on anything and I'm still trying to get my hands on a copy of the study, called the West Goshen Watershed Report. Whatever the case, it appears some pretty involved work could be required to remedy the flooding that sometimes plagues the area, typically...
Should those living in Elkhart County’s unincorporated areas have to pay a special tax for the privilege?
Elkhart County Commissioner Mike Yoder tossed out the idea last week at a gathering of Elkhart County officials, dubbing his proposal a “Country Living Tax.” I don’t know how serious he is about it, but the aim would be to generate revenue so the county could provide the sort of services available in Elkhart, Goshen and other incorporated places.
“It’s too darn cheap to live outside the cities,” he said somewhat tongue in cheek at a meeting of the Elkhart County Council’s Finance Committee.
It’s less...
Elkhart County officials plan to use nearly 75 percent of the county's Major Moves funding to help pay for upgrades to the Johnson Street and Six Span bridges. That will reduce the amount in the fund this year alone to an estimated $6.4 million, down from around $25.4 million.
Not to worry, though, it seems. Original plans were to maintain the principal over the long haul and even add to it, and that's still the thinking, according to County Auditor Dave Hess.
Indeed, the working scheme is to build on the base amount little by little, perhaps tripling the $25.4 million figure...
With Elkhart County poised to tap into its Major Moves funding for the first time to help pay for upgrades to the Six Span and Johnson Street bridges, both in Elkhart, here's a look back at how the money, generated by the lease of Indiana Toll Road operations, was distributed locally.
In 2006, state officials leased toll road operations to a Spanish-Australian consortium. That group, the ITR Concession Co., paid the state $3.8 billion for the privilege — that's the Major Moves money — and, in return, will collect tolls and maintain the freeway for 75 years. As part of the...