Jan
17
The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee will hear about a plan to use 12.5 percent of Lake and Porter County sales tax money to fund the proposed extension of the South Shore train line to Valparaiso and Lowell.
The plan wouldn’t require any tax increases, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.
The House Ways and Means Committee, which meets at 9 a.m., will hear legislation to divert 12.5 percent of the sales tax money Lake and Porter counties send the state, a move that would generate $30 million a year without rasing local taxes. The proposal, authored by state Rep. Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville, would close a $350 million shortfall in the $1 billion plan to extend South Shore lines to Lowell and Valparaiso.
Dobis met with Gov. Mitch Daniels Wednesday afternoon to discuss the plan.
“They had a good visit. The governor was glad to hear more about the idea,” said Jane Jankowski, the governor’s spokeswoman. “He supports the idea of expanding the South Shore…But there are some practical issues with the funding portion of the plan.”
Expanding train service to Chicago’s Loop promises to be an economic development boon for Northwest Indiana because it will make it easier for commuters to access higher paying jobs in Chicago. Some of the wealthiest areas in Illinois are served by Metra line service.
Dec
24
Is South Shore Expansion Worth Expense?
Filed Under Bob Harper, Porter County, South Shore Line | Leave a Comment
A Porter County Commissioner asks if expanding the South Shore into Porter County is worth the cost that taxpayers will have to pay.
Writes Teresa Auch of the Post-Tribune:
The estimated cost for expansions to the South Shore commuter rail is $500 million.
Porter County averages 750 to 800 riders a day.
Those numbers don’t add up for Porter County Commissioner Bob Harper, who said the expansion is not worth the money to taxpayers.
“Maybe another 740 (riders) will use it, but it’s a half a billion dollars,” Harper said.
Nov
18
To Tax Or Not To Tax, That Is The Question
Filed Under Northwest Indiana, South Shore Line, politics, property tax crisis, tax revolt | 4 Comments
While most people are getting ready to spend some quality time with relatives and loved ones as they prepare for Thanksgiving next week, Northwest Indiana’s legislators will gather in Indianapolis Tuesday to talk about whether they should try to get a $30 million tax passed to pay for South Shore commuter rail expansion or wait until property tax reforms are passed
If taxes are raised to pay for the $350 million local match needed for the $1 billion project to expand the South Shore Line to Valparaiso and Lowell, Northwest Indiana lawmakers are looking at slapping those taxes on motor vehicle registrations ($50 per car — ouch!), gasoline taxes (more $$ at the pump — can anyone say $4/gallon?), or local income taxes (there isn’t much support a Lake County income tax).
Maybe the solution is cutting back somewhere and using the money saved for the South Shore expansion.
Taxpayers can be thankful that the local legislators are up for reelection in 2008. That should help guide their thoughts when it comes to figuring out a solution to the property tax crisis that is affecting homeowners all over the state as well as figuring out ways to pay for the South Shore expansion.
