Porter County Commissioner Bob Harper is crying foul over a decision by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission to have its executive board, rather than the full commission vote on a proposal to endorse the extension of the South Shore to Valparaiso and Lowell.
"It seems to me ironic that this vote is coming during the very week when taxpayers of Porter County are receiving real estate property tax bills, many of whom have received increases of 25 to 30 percent or more," Harper wrote in a letter to NIRPC Executive Director John Swanson.
Harper said Thursday's vote runs contrary to a study urging NIRPC to seek broad based public participation in all regional planning activities.
"Not only apparently have you decided that you don't need public participation in this monumental decision, but you don't even want to have the full board make this decision and are trying to ram this through with a small group, some of whom are lame ducks at this time," he wrote.
Swanson said the proposed endorsement is being presented to the 11-member executive board at 9 a.m. Thursday in order to address the issue before state lawmakers go back into session. NIRPC's full commission, which is made up of 53 members, does not meet again until Jan. 17.
Members of the executive board include Porter County Council member Mike Bucko, Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas and Porter County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke.
Harper or anyone else are invited to attend the executive board meeting and give their input, he said. NIRPC has a strong track record of seeking public input and the outcome of the board's vote can also be appealed to the full commission.
While Harper questioned the executive board's authority to act on the proposed endorsement, Swanson said the board is authorized to take such action. This is the approach typically taken in advance to a legislative session, he said.
The proposed resolution cites local support for the project running as high as 80 percent, although that support drops to just above 50 percent in polls when local tax financing is considered.
Harper said Porter County taxpayers have already shouldered nearly $24 million over the last few years in new taxes and the shift of the inventory tax from businesses. He said NIRPC is attempting to push through a proposal that is not widely supported by local officials.
Costas is hopeful the local funds needed can be generated without raising any tax or adding any new ones.
The mayor said the yearly increase in economic development income tax collections may be enough to cover the county's $8 million per year share.
