"Money, money, money. Some people got to have it, some people really need it." The lyrics of the O'Jays popular 1970s recording "For the Love of Money" runs through my head most days. It's so applicable in these tough economic times.

So I need to ask, with our severe state, county and local budget constraints, and now that the Indiana General Assembly seems to be governing these days by referendum, where was the Marion County referendum this year as the state legislature bailed out the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board's $47 million shortfall in its operation of the Colt's Lucas Oil Stadium, the Pacers' Conseco Fieldhouse and the city's convention center?

For sure, we've got a heightened case of referendum fever in Northwest Indiana when it comes to providing money for regional mass transit, building schools and determining the need for township government.

Will there be a referendum before the state contributes its share of the proposed $3 billion Illiana Expressway? Doubtful.

Except for the Indiana Toll Road, Lake County interstates are clogged and need relief. But are more highways the answer?

Long-term traffic studies declare we will not pave our way out of the overloads and for every new highway mile we construct to handle one more vehicle, there will be two or three to fill it.

This early in the 21st century, we are already full of promising new technology that will quickly discard current practices.

There's an interesting study about the acceleration of change and how quickly it has moved in modern times. Author Alvin Toffler, in his 1970s book "Future Shock," wrote that the feudal system, existing through the Middle Ages for 11 centuries, changed with the 17th century Reformation and finally the 18th century Agricultural and Industrial Revolution.

While these "recent" changes evolved over two centuries, think about the faster pace of innovation in aviation, space exploration and technology since the late 20th century alone.

In the 1920s and 1930s, we built connecting segments of paved, two-lane highways stretching across the country. Twenty years later the federal government began the nonstop interstate highway system.

The same pace of change will surely apply to new concepts in vehicles and transportation infrastructure as to how we travel and deliver goods to the marketplace.

On the back side of these predictions, socioeconomic changes alone are finding suburban residents already moving closer in to urban work places.

Here's something to think about: The Illiana Expressway's three proposed corridors through south Lake County to connect Interstates 65 and 57 would all sacrifice farm land that is among the most fertile in the nation and has a very high water table, making it increasingly flood prone nearer the Kankakee River.

And while the Illiana Expressway is proposed as a toll road, there's a reason the Indiana Toll Road is void of heavy traffic. Truckers and motorists, for the most part, don't want to pay the tolls when they can find a way around them.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. Contact Janet Moran at janetcopywrite@sbcglobal.net.