INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana House approved legislation Monday intended to end a dispute between the Porter County Council and the county commissioners over who has the authority to spend local income tax revenue.
The House sided with the commissioners and voted 97-0 for House Bill 1077, designating the county commissioners as the governing body authorized to transfer money from a county income tax.
If also approved by the Senate and signed into law, the legislation would firmly reject an unprecedented claim by the County Council that state law authorizes it to spend the money without the consent of the three commissioners.
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, the sponsor of the proposal, said the measure should make clear the procedure for spending the money and prevent a lawsuit between the two county governing bodies.
"It's a check and balance, nobody gets to do it by themselves," Soliday said. "The commissioners recommend, they can transfer the money; they can't spend it unless the council appropriates it."
State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, and state Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, are set to shepherd the proposal through the Senate.
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