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BY PATRICK GUINANE
pguinane@nwitimes.com
317.637.9078 | Friday, October 03, 2008 | (6 comment(s))
INDIANAPOLIS | State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, said Thursday he has begun drafting legislation to remake the embattled Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission.
The commission, created two decades ago to build protective levees along a 22-mile stretch of river from Gary to the Illinois border, has taken the brunt of the blame for mid-September flooding that damaged hundreds of region homes. U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., called for an overhaul of the commission, saying the levee work is 10 years behind schedule and $125 million over budget.
Soliday said the legislation he is crafting would replace the 11-member board with six commissioners, all of whom would be appointed by the governor. He said the measure could be unnecessary if the commission can restore public confidence before lawmakers convene in January.
"I already have sponsorship for the bill in the House and in the Senate," Soliday said. "Does this have to happen? No. But we’re fully prepared, if something isn’t changed in how they’re doing business, that we’re going to reorganize them."
Lawmakers also could give the project to a state or federal agency, Soliday said, if the commission can't provide a clear picture of how much time and money is needed to complete the levee work.
Region legislators have called for a detailed state audit of the commission. Soliday said the public needs to see a concise account of commission finances -- both operating and capital -- before lawmakers seek funding to complete the levee project.
"You want to know that it all adds up on one or two sheets of paper," he said.
William Biller, the commission's chairman, has repeatedly criticized the General Assembly for appropriating only $29.5 million on the $72 million the commission has requested since 1985. Soliday called it naive for any group to think legislative fiscal leaders would grant all that is asked.
"We’re going to help them find funding," he said. "But pointing fingers and all that kind of stuff has got to stop."
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Progress wrote on Oct 3, 2008 12:12 PM:
bling wrote on Oct 3, 2008 11:16 AM:
Big Mac and Mini Mac wrote on Oct 3, 2008 10:08 AM:
Sound Leadership wrote on Oct 3, 2008 10:06 AM:
Good wrote on Oct 3, 2008 8:21 AM:
kicked again wrote on Oct 3, 2008 8:19 AM: