Hitching to a Broken Wagon: Portage’s Mayor Olga-Velasquez Plays Party over People.

Traditionally a libertarian position, local Democrats have historically opposed projects ranging from building hospitals (which would cost the County literally nothing) to an extension of the controversial South Shore Line. Porter County Democrats even oppose repairing roads for which hard-fought Federal funds lie dormant. They justify this agenda by proclaiming themselves representatives of the people in opposing all taxes, while squandering millions of local tax dollars wallowing in their own utter incompetence by failing to get tax bills out on time. What is troubling most recently is the subject of this article: Portage Mayor should work for Portage

As Mayor of Portage, a Third Class City in Indiana, Mayor Velasquez’s charge is to find solutions to problems within her City’s limits. Unfortunately, however, she is allowing the partisanship of the local Democrats to control her agenda both in and outside her City. As a voting member of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), Mayor Velasquez has an opportunity to work with other regional and community leaders to make a positive difference for Northwest Indiana. It appears, however, that she has chosen instead to give in to Bob Harper and the CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) agenda of her local party.

This is troubling for three (3) reasons. First, as alluded to above, a mayor’s job is to identify problems and provide solutions. Rarely should ideology enter into this equation. Rather, it entails the bricks and mortar of everyday life. One such problem Portage faces is the massive unemployment other communities such as Valparaiso are also dealing with. The ChicaGo Dash provides a much needed link to Chicago, the Region’s greatest economic engine in which many depend for daily transportation to and from work. Mayor Velasquez missed a major opportunity to provide daily transportation to Chicago for her residents. Instead of inquiring how to jump onboard and include the citizens of Portage in the ChicaGo Dash route, she instead chose to simply vote against it.

Second, with this vote Mayor Velasquez simply appeased Bob Harper and the anti-everything county Democrats. How can a mayor, with her unique understanding and advocacy of her city’s priorities, crumble to the intimidation Commissioner Harper is known for exerting and still provide for her City? To perform effectively, any mayor (or any legal advocate for that matter) must be prepared to stand up against any opposition in or outside of her party in order to preserve the maximum opportunity for the constituents that she represents. She failed as mayor here in allowing her party to dominate her decision.

Third, and most troubling, the ramifications of this decision will likely impinge upon opportunities for the City of Portage in the future. Voting down proposals made by other municipality-members of NIRPC will likely result in these municipalities voting down her own initiatives that could significantly benefit the residents of Portage.

Mayor Velasquez, your City has a well-established history of reaching across party lines to do what is right for your residents and to benefit the Region as a whole. I urge you not to continue down this path of partisanship and division—the very self-fulfilling prophesy that causes Indianapolis to look Northwest and laugh.