Braun Would Be Big Winner with Mid-States Corridor

We’re starting today with a new column that’s out right now over at IndyStar.com. It’s my debut guest column, and it focuses on Mike Braun and the Mid-States Corridor. The column is titled “Mike Braun’s Mid-States Corridor Betrays His Own County.” And the premise is pretty simple. Governor Mike Braun helped launch the Mid-States Corridor years ago. Now, as governor, he’s fighting to finish a project that could cost up to $4 billion. A project that runs right through his home county. And a project that is overwhelmingly opposed by the people who live there. That’s the story. The Mid-States Corridor is designed to connect I-64 to I-69 in southwest Indiana. And while it may sound like just another road project, the reality is very different. This is a massive undertaking. Potentially $4 billion or more. And the people in that area do not want it. The column walks through the history of the project and Mike Braun’s involvement going all the way back to his time in the General Assembly. His role in getting the wheels in motion. His continued support over the years. And the connection to his own industry. Because this is where it gets important. This appears to be a project that benefits a very select group of people, while everyone else is forced to pay for it. Specifically, the trucking and distribution industry. The same industry Mike Braun made his money in. And again, there’s nothing wrong with being successful. There’s nothing wrong with making money. But it becomes a problem when it appears that government power is being used to benefit your own business. That’s the concern. The column lays out how Braun has consistently supported this project, despite the overwhelming opposition from the people in southwest Indiana. It also highlights how his own family has acknowledged that the project would benefit their business. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to connect the dots. This is a project that the public doesn’t want, doesn’t see the benefit of, and yet could cost billions of taxpayer dollars. At the same time, Braun is proposing $6.5 billion in tax increases for I-70. So you’re being told there’s no money for certain projects. But somehow there’s billions available for a road people don’t want. That doesn’t add up. And for a long time, this project was moving forward quietly. It likely would have continued that way if it hadn’t been exposed and discussed publicly. Once people started paying attention, lawmakers began raising objections. Efforts were made to slow it down. And now it’s finally getting the scrutiny it deserves. Because the real impact is significant. We’re talking about generational family farms. Land that has been in families for over a century. In some cases, 175 years. And those properties could be cut in half. Destroyed. Gone. That’s what’s at stake. And it’s also a reminder of something bigger. A lot of this happens outside the spotlight. If it’s not happening in central Indiana, a lot of people never hear about it. Coverage often stops at Bloomington. But these decisions affect the entire state. Because everyone is going to pay for this. That’s why it matters. The column lays all of this out in detail—the history, the connections, the cost, and the impact. It’s available now at IndyStar.com. Give it a read.