Voice of the People

The information given to the public regarding the RDA has changed in a short period of time.

When the project was first presented and Porter County citizens were asked to pay an income tax, it was presented as if it would provide rail service to Valparaiso, update the Gary airport, provide bus service and beautify the lakefront.

Now a short time later we are being told that in order to do all this, we would be required to pass another income tax in Porter County. In fact, the projects they have envisioned run into the billions of dollars.

The Porter County Council has passed income taxes twice in the past few years. How much more will the citizens of this county put up with?

We are steadily watching our real estate property tax increase and now, as predicted, once the County Council started passing income taxes, they have discovered a new source of revenue and continue to pass additional income taxes to add to it.

I personally urge the Porter County Council not to pass another tax for the RDA. In fact, I do not think they should be passing these income taxes at all.

Very truly yours,

Gary S. Germann

Posted 3/23/2007