INDIANAPOLIS | Arguing the state took a bath on the Indiana Toll Road lease, Democrat Jill Long Thompson proclaimed Wednesday that if elected governor, she would appoint a citizen panel to review the "privatization madness" of incumbent Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

"We've seen a great deal of privatization, and not only is it not working, it's probably costing taxpayers additional dollars," said Long Thompson, who is seeking to unseat Daniels in November.

The Argos, Ind., Democrat went on to list a proposed lottery lease, a privatized prison where a riot broke out last year and a $1 billion welfare "modernization" contract under scrutiny by a legislative committee. As for the Toll Road, Long Thompson took issue with the $3.8 billion bounty a Spanish-Australian partnership paid the state for a 75-year deal.

"The estimates are that the foreign consortium will have its investment recouped in 15 to 20 years," Long Thompson said. "If that is the case, then that means for the following 55 to 60 years it's pure profit for them at a cost to us."

The 2006 Toll Road lease has become a political rallying cry for Hoosier Democrats, but it so far has fallen on deaf ears. Democrats won control of the Indiana House two years ago but failed to oust northern Indiana Republicans who voted for the lease.

"The Toll Road lease remains a very good deal for Hoosiers because, by and large, (the highway) never made money," said Daniels campaign spokesman Cam Savage.

Most of the lease proceeds are dedicated to a 10-year highway construction plan known as Major Moves, though the deal also earmarked $120 million for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority. Savage said without the lease, "we never would have had a way to dedicate that much money to Northwest Indiana in a way that local communities can now decide on the major projects that they want to move forward."