The chorus of Indiana legislators telling the truth about I-69 grew more audible last week when four South-Central Indiana lawmakers effectively declared new-terrain I-69 dead before it even arrives at the Statehouse.

"I don't think we need to get into the deep, philosophical question of whether or not I-69 is a good thing or a bad thing because I don't think you can get past the funding problems," State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, said on WTIU television's Third House program last Sunday.

Bedford Republican Rep. Eric Koch echoed Pierce's assessment: "I think it's a reality that this project may be something that we can't afford at the present time."

The pair of state representatives shared the WTIU studio panel with State Sens. Becky Skillman and Richard Bray, both Republicans. They answered a series of citizen questions about the highway. And all four left no doubt they agree with State Sen. Finance Chairman Lawrence Borst, who has essentially said Indiana taxpayers can't afford I-69.

On Oct. 30, Borst, an Indianapolis Republican, published an economic analysis of I-69 funding options in the Indianapolis Southside Times that concluded the only potential source for the estimated $160 million a year needed to build new-terrain I-69 would be a 5-cents-a-gallon increase in the state gasoline tax, with all the money going to I-69.

When asked directly if he would support a tax increase for I-69, Koch responded: "I don't and won't."

That followed an admonition from Skillman, a Bedford Republican and chair of the Senate Republican caucus: "Can you imagine within a legislative body of 150 members, who are representing their own areas, supporting a 5-cent increase to go toward one project in the state? I mean, that's just the reality."

Just as Borst did in October, Pierce refuted oft-repeated, misleading statements by INDOT Commissioner J. Brian Nicol and highway supporters that the federal government will fund 80 percent of the highway's cost. Over the course of the debate, Nicol and others have implied that Congress will give Indiana new money to build the highway.

"When we talk about the federal government funding 80 percent of the highway and the state funding 20 percent, that would, at least currently, come out of the state's normal allotment of highway funds it gets from the federal gas tax," Pierce said. "... If you take that 80 percent and now you put a billion dollars of that or more into building I-69, you've essentially wiped off every other road project from the state."

Pierce and Bray, a Martinsville Republican, both cited the recent State Road 37 resurfacing as an example of the sort of projects that federal gas tax funds are used for.

"If they hadn't resurfaced 37, in the next two years you'd just about have a gravel road from here to Indianapolis," Bray said.

Borst's analysis concluded that every highway "expansion project" in the state - building new highways and bridges, adding new lanes to existing highways, etc. - would have to be put on hold for 14 years to build I-69 from existing Indiana highway funds.

But in response to a citizen question, Skillman dismissed that potentiality as unrealistic: "I might rather have those dollars to four lane Indiana 37 south to I-64 if it's going to help my district. And as you can imagine, legislators from all over the state have their own pet projects."

Pierce likewise agreed with Borst that the chances that Congress will give Indiana more than a hundred million dollars each year to build I-69 is remote at best. "So far, I see no sign of Congress going down that route," he said. "... I just don't see the money being there."

While Bray said he believes the federal government may have adequate funding for I-69, he doubts Indiana could afford even the 20 percent match that would be required to receive federal money, for all the reasons cited by his colleagues.

"Whether Indiana can come up with its 20 percent is very questionable," Bray said. "Right now it is taking all of our gas tax money to keep the present highway system going. ...So I really wonder how we can afford it."

Steven Higgs is editor of The Bloomington Alternative. The full text of the legislators' verbatim statements on I-69 funding follow:

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State Sen. Richard Bray, R-Martinsville

"Eighty percent of the money will be federal money. Twenty percent must be state money. And I guess the federal trust funds will probably be adequate. Whether Indiana can come up with its 20% is very questionable. Right now it is taking all of our gas tax money to keep the present highway system going. We've had very few new highways built. And you notice, in fact, they did a fairly good job on 37. But if they hadn't resurfaced 37 in the next two years, you'd just about have a gravel road from here to Indianapolis. So I really wonder how we can afford it. The route has become very controversial of course, and yet I understand why Evansville feels neglected because there's almost no way to get there from here."

State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington

"I think this really points up what I've been saying for the last couple of years is I don't think we need to get to the deep, philosophical question of whether or not I-69 is a good thing or a bad thing because I don't think you can get past the funding problems. Now, as near as I understand, when we talk about the federal government funding 80 percent of the highway and the state funding 20 percent, that would at least currently come out of the state's normal allotment of highway funds it gets from the federal gas tax.

"And what that means is that 80 percent of federal money with the 20 percent state match is normally used for things like resurfacing State Road 37, replacing bridges, helping local government. If you take that 80 percent and now you put a billion dollars of that or more into building I-69, you've essentially wiped off every other road project from the state.

"And so I think the only way I-69 really gets constructed is if Congress decides to make I-69 a national priority and appropriate money over and above the normal formula that we get. And so far, I see no sign of Congress going down that route. So, until we get some idea of where the funding is coming from, I don't even think we need to debate the philosophy of I-69. I just don't see the money being there."

State Sen. Becky Skillman, R-Bedford

"When you talk about Sen. Borst saying that it would take 5 cents increase on the gas tax for the next 14 years, can you imagine within a legislative body of 150 members, who are representing their own areas, supporting a 5-cent increase to go toward one project in the state. I mean that's just the reality. I might rather have those dollars to four lane Indiana 37 south to I-64 if it's going to help my district. And as you can imagine, legislators from all over the state have their own pet projects. Nevertheless Southwest Indiana does need jobs. We need to protect Crane, as well. So all of these things have to weigh in the mix."

State Rep. Eric Koch, R-Bedford

"We're unanimous here. I don't and won't (support a tax increase). And I think it's a reality that this project may be something that we can't afford at the present time."