Pony Up for the Route 53 Extension

Every political campaign typically will have two kinds of volunteers: it will have its battle-tested political operatives and it will have a finance committee. Not uncoincidentally, the Route 53/120 Blue Ribbon Advisory Council plans to name a finance committee next month.

Haha, the Route 53 Advisory Council has the spectacular task of converting the Route 53 Extension pipe-dream into not just a boondoggle but a reality. The cost of the toll-road will be an estimated $2.5 billion.  One Council member told to the News-Sun ...

that even when the advisory council included options like tolls and federal funding for a project that was estimated between $2.3 billion and $2.7 billion, "there was a gap, so there's going to be a lot of effort put forth to make sure we find a way to finance this (project)."
Route 53/120 advisory council to create finance committee

This same Advisory Council member, in apparent candor, said ...

ultimately, these projects come down to 'how are you going to pay for them?'
Route 53/120 advisory council to create finance committee

Even by Lake County standards, two and a half billion ain't backyard chicken feed. Bearing in mind that early estimates like these lowball a boondoggle project's cost by a factor of five or ten, pretty soon you're talking real money.

One proposed solution would be to increase everyone's property tax bill by 50 cents whenever Lake County Chair Aaron Lawlor is heard uttering a sentence that contains a noun, a verb, and the Route 53 Extension. The bean counters estimate this will pay for the Route 53 Extension within six to nine months. It is also estimated this plan will send every Lake County taxpayer, within six to nine months, to the poorfarm.

In a day where big government is the solution to nothing, and private initiative is the solution to every problem, the only plausible solution would be to pass the hat. It may be too late for a Labor Day Telethon, but your LakeCountyEye doesn't mind asking for donations to help make the Route 53 Extension a reality. Just post your donation amount into the Route 53 Extension Donation Widget, click the DONATE button, and watch how high the donation thermometer climbs!

Route 53 Extension Donation Meter

Donations are not tax deducible. Please donate soon -- you can help make one young child's dream come true!