Northwest Indiana Tourism Strategy

Even though much of the debate on this site over the next 10 days will be focused on party politics and leadership elections, I thought it would be nice to also look at an issue brewing out there: The Lake County Tourism Board has been talking about a possible merger with Porter County and LaPorte County.

Since I'm no politician, it's easy for me to be honest and take a position. I'm for it. I've been told that almost all of the budget in Porter County at least is spent on overhead, with very little going to actual promotion of our county. A merger would allow all these dollars to be used more efficiently to promote all of Northwest Indiana. Seriously, does anyone really choose one county over the other? No

I see that the county dems have already voted against even thinking about it, classic for the current administration's thoughts on anything that resembles change, progress, or growth. I know a couple democrats, people I respect, I'd love to see them speak up and not let one man speak for the entire county.

I know though that the same people who decried the RDA, now headed by our own Bill Hanna, will be against anything that smacks of helping Lake County fix it's problems. And I will easily acknowledge that Spiros is his own worst enemy at times, at times visionary and others aggravating. Go ahead tell me I'm wrong, I can handle it, but be willing to put some meat behind your thoughts and take me on.