VALPARAISO | It appears the Porter County Council will have the majority support needed Wednesday to attempt to pull out of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority and end the associated income tax.
Council members Dan Whitten, Laura Blaney and Rita Stevenson said they intend to support the move, while member Sylvia Graham said she is leaning in that direction.
The only council member opposed to pulling out of the RDA after four years of participation is lone Republican Karen Conover, who said the county is obligated by law to remain a member through 2015.
Porter County has received more money than it has paid into the RDA, she said, and residents are benefiting from property tax relief provided by the tax.
Wednesday's vote, which is scheduled for 5 p.m., was triggered after state lawmakers unveiled plans last week to create a regional transportation district with the power to impose a new 0.25 percent income tax.
"I truly believe we're being asked too much," Graham said.
In addition to being concerned about the financial impact of the multiple taxes, Graham said she does not like the state stepping in and usurping local power by creating new local entities with taxing powers.
Blaney said she had hoped the RDA would succeed and disprove her concerns about partnering up with Lake County. But few gains have been made with such key projects as improvements at the GaryChicago International Airport, she said.
"It's just so hard to move ahead," she said.
Stevenson said she no longer backs the RDA because its priorities seem to have changed from funding the Gary airport and extensions of the South Shore train service.
"Those funds have not been used exactly as they should have," she said.
Council President Bob Poparad, who along with member Mike Bucko has not decided how he will vote Wednesday, said he has lost some faith in the RDA.
"I'm disappointed in the lack of results at the Gary airport, which was the foundation of my support for the RDA," he said.
The idea of Porter County pulling out of the RDA gained momentum after last fall's election, when candidates supporting the RDA and the county's $3.5 million annual tax contribution lost by significant margins. Whitten and Blaney, who had voted against joining the RDA, were the top two vote-getters in last year's council race.
