INDIANAPOLIS—State Senator Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement following the Senate Appropriations Committee today:

“Senate Bill 52 is not a Republican versus a Democrat bill; this bill is just bad public policy. As the former CFO of the city of Indianapolis, I have a unique perspective on this issue. Over the past decade, Indianapolis lost economic development opportunities to other cities because Indy’s transit system was not robust enough to support the transportation needs of tens of thousands of prospective workers, students, and residents.

“To ignore the access, infrastructure improvements, and economic development opportunities IndyGo’s rapid transit will provide to residents is a mistake. Impeding those efforts is not good government.

“Indianapolis is a donor city to the state, and the state is a donor state to the federal government, meaning, Indianapolis is the economic engine of the state and Indy’s residents contribute more in taxes to Indiana’s economy than what they receive back from the state or the federal government. It is fiscally irresponsible to forgo Hoosier’s hard-earned tax dollars to be diverted to and invested in other states rather than their own local neighborhoods. By passing SB 52, the IN General Assembly decided to waste Hoosier taxpayers’ dollars and deprive them of economic development opportunities that are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

“Friends, this is not a partisan bill. This is bad public policy. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill due to the overwhelming opposition from local community members and leaders. Indianapolis will lose residents, business opportunities, and most importantly, lives because of this bill. I hope we can put a stop to it on the Senate Floor.”