The Portage Bus Boycott: Mayor Olga-Velasquez Misses Major ChicaGo Dash Opportunity.

In a recent submissive move, Mayor Olga continued her futile opposition of Mayor Costas’ request for new ChicaGo Dash buses (for full discussion, read here: 6/19/09, Valpo bus purchase denied; 7/11/09, Portage mayor should work with Valparaiso).

As several PCP contributors have commented, (see for example, Olga and Harper go after Costas, Hitching to a Broken Wagon: Portage’s Mayor Olga-Velasquez Plays Party over People.) Mayor Olga has decided to once again tow the Party line in a disappointing move for the residents of Portage. Instead of reaching some compromise that would benefit all of the citizens of Porter County, Olga-Velasquez has instead blindly followed the direction of Bob Harper, the Dems’ visible leader and the County’s iron-fisted Commissioner.

Despite Olga’s ardent opposition, NIRPC recently approved funding for this project. 8/20/09, NIRPC approves bus funding for Valpo. In an ironic twist of fate, according to an undisclosed source Mayor Olga was seen this past Friday anxiously defending her position in front of an audience of angry Portage residents. I believe this demonstrates the very foolishness in blindly following Harper’s direction, and as well as a county party in decline.

Olga cited demographics to support her opposition, exclaiming that the ChicaGo Dash parking lot is filled with BMW’s, Audis, and Mercedes. Are public services suddenly ONLY about catering to the poorest citizens?

If the residents of Portage disagree with their own Mayor’s position, is she doing her job in representing them? Will continued moves like this jeopardize her hopes of re-election? What do you think, PCP?