The Porter County Voter Registration office wishes to remind all registered voters of this year’s special referendum on the proposed Northern Indiana Regional Transportation District on Tuesday.

Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Voters can find their nearest polling place by contacting the Voters Registration Office at (219) 465-3484. Voters can also find the complete list of polling places on the Porter County Web site, www.porterco.gov

and look for the Voters Registration heading after selecting the Departments tab.

All regular polling places will be open for Tuesday’s referendum. Voters are reminded to bring their photo ID. Those without ID’s can obtain one for free by visiting the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Kathy Kozuszek, Democrat director of the Voters Registration Office, said she has ordered special paper ballots for the election. which reduced costs of this off-year election by more than $150,000. The office projects the total cost of the election at $120,000 out of the 2009 general fund, which levies its money from property taxes. Kozuszek feels that is a good reason to vote on Tuesday.

“It’s just like paying to go see a concert. You already bought your tickets so you might as well see the show,” she said.

“Walk-in” absentee voting will continue until Monday at noon. Absentee voting takes place at the Porter County Administration Building in Valparaiso located at 155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 105 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and also from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The North County Government Complex in Portage at 3560 Willowcreek Road is also holding absentee voting today from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. but will not be offering any times on Saturday. Both locations will offer final absentee voting Monday from 8:30 a.m. until noon.

Voters were also given the option to mail in their ballots this year. The final day to request mail ballots was Monday, Oct. 26. Nearly 1,000 votes have been collected so far in walk-in and mail absentee voting since the voting started on Oct. 5. The total represents nearly 1 percent of registered voters in Porter County.

Kozuszek said she expects 13 to 15 percent of voters turning out on Tuesday, which she said would be above average for an off-election year. The amount is nearly the same as a typical town or city election. Last year’s presidential election drew a 66 percent voter turnout in Porter County.

The Porter County Voter Registration Office is still accepting poll clerks and judges for Tuesday’s election. Kozuszek said workers were asked to attend classes on how the polling system works. No further classes will be given but Kozuszek said people interested in working can check with the registration office in case poll workers don’t show up or phone in sick.

Workers must be registered voters themselves. However, the registration office is allowing 16 and 17 year-old students to work the polls if they receive good grades and get permission from their parents and schools. Kozuszek said she hopes young people can get involved in learning the polling process.

Poll clerks and poll judges will receive $100 plus a meal allowance. Polling inspectors are to receive $125 for their service along with the meal allowance.

Anyone wanting to work the polls or who has any questions about the election is encouraged to contact the voter’s registration office.

Porter County voters will be asked in Tuesday’s referendum the following question:

“Shall there be created the Northern Indiana Regional Transporation District under IC 8-24 to provide a regional rail system servicing Lake, Porter, LaPorte, and St. Joseph counties and a regional bus public transportation system serving Lake and Porter Counties with Porter County become a member of the district?”

The NIRTD has also been referred to as a “Regional Transportation Authority” or RTA. The RTD and the RTA refer to the same agency and recently, RTA has become the more commonly used term.

The proposed new agency would oversee a mass-transit service throughout the district including a new regional bus system across the counties of Lake and Porter and the South Shore commuter service, with possible extensions into Valparaiso and Lowell. The RTD would be structured with several boards including a seven-member RTD board, a commuter rail service board and a bus service board. The RTD would also have the ability to impose a new income tax of up to .25 percent.

If established, the RTD would work with the various boards and departments to coordinate efforts in further developing these transportation systems.

Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority Executive Director Bill Hanna says the RTD would bring more jobs and more migration to Porter County. He said the RDA is committed to improving life in Porter County and supports economic growth that the RTD would create.

Hanna also said the RDA’s role is to help fund and support the RTD but cannot manage or create transportation systems. The RDA does not have the power to tax and would not be involved in the income tax imposed by the RTD.

The Indiana General Assembly mandated that Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties hold the RTD referendum this year. The vote will only take place in Porter and St. Joseph counties, as Lake and LaPorte claimed they could not comply with the state’s mandate this year due to costs.

The RTD referendum has met opposition from various groups, including the Porter County Council, which passed a resolution to oppose it last Tuesday.

Porter County Commissioner Bob Harper also opposes the RTD, as he believes it would negatively impact the rural atmosphere of Porter County. Harper said he does support public transportation but believes the RTD is chaotic and will only lead to more county income taxes.

Harper is also the chairman of the Committee to Stop the RTA, which has collected $315 in donations and dispersed more than 750 yard signs so far.

Posted 10/30/2009