Republicans supported the RDA in Northwest Indiana, with Mayor Jon Costas and all major Republican county leaders supporting its formation. After the resounding loss in the election Tuesday, County GOP Chair Chuck Williams says a re-evaluation of our role in the RDA and the $3.5 million we pay is in order. Democrats voted against the Regional Development Authority, and were blessed with wins in almost all county offices.
My thoughts on where the RDA stands:
- Nothing happening at Gary airport
- Portage has a new park which is just completed on the shoreline
- Southshore rail has a chance of going to Lowell, but Valparaiso has been postponed indefinitely
- The RDA is stacked with Lake County pols
Read the Times Article
6 comments:
I'm really disappointed that the Valpo South Shore line is being shelved. It would have been the more popular line.
Really haven't seen a lot of progress here in Porter County for our money. Unless we get some better representation we should pull out and use our money in better ways.
I like the RDA investing in the Marquette Plan and local buses. I don't agree with investment in the south shore expansion to Valpo or the Gary airport. Rather than dumping the RDA, I think Porter county needs to lean on the RDA to reprioritize. Who represents Porter County on the RDA?
I think it's interesting to watch everyone coming out of the woodwork to criticize the RDA at this point. Pile on.
The real problem is not the RDA, but the "we know better than you do what's best for you attitude." We wouldn't have ever had an RDA if it wasn't for that.
Anonymous - the question possed was what did we think about the RDA. You have some choices here, you can say your for it, not for it, say nothing or give your opinion...if thats piling on then so be it. Too many times we see little or no results with these organizations. Love to see this money create longer lasting jobs, rather than short term park jobs.
I think re-evaluation of the RDA is an inevitability at this point. It has had a target on its back since the democrats had a simple majority, let alone with the "mandate" they will claim now. The only question at this point is how radical this re-evaluation is and whether re-evaluation means a total or effective dissolution. Porter County Democrats have a proven track record of opposing any kind of progress or development, and they will use any means by which they can "derail" projects, even by dissolving the RDA entirely, in defiance of the state mandate creating it. That being said, the RDA is in serious need of reform from a Porter County perspective. Seems like little return for our huge investment.
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