LAGRANGE – Thirteen years ago last month LaGrange County received nearly $37.4 million dollars in Major Moves funds from the State of Indiana.

Major Moves was a ten year transportation plan to improve Indiana roads...in large part through the $2.6 billion dollar lease of the Toll Road.

LaGrange County got the windfall because it was one of the seven counties through which the Indiana Toll Road travels. Legislators and then-Governor Mitch Daniels crafted the payouts to sell the plan of leasing the Toll Road in counties where motorists were most likely to use the road heavily...and bare the increase in tolls that was bound to come.

The money came with some strings. It had to be used to enhance infrastructure and economic development within the Toll Road counties.

LaGrange County set up a system where the money could not be spent until a supermajority – eight out of ten members of the county council and county commissioners agreed on its use.

Thursday afternoon we will take a deeper dive into the history of how LaGrange County has used that money.