11/3/09 Vote in NWI - Please Come Vote to Stop A Tax Increase

[rambone]

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, there is a special "RTA Referendum" vote that all of District 1 is eligible to vote on. I urge you all to VOTE NO!!!!

They want to expand the South Shore Railroad and passenger railways and give you a tax increase to pay for it. We are TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

Please, go to your local voting booth on Nov. 3 and VOTE NO for RTA EXPANSION!!

COUNTIES ELIGIBLE TO VOTE
Lake County
Porter County
St. Joseph County
LaPorte County
​

TELL YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS!! THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE IS THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT IT ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WANT IT!!

Thanks for helping us stop this crap. This is your chance to vote down a tax increase.

 

[rambone]

Here's some background info.

LaPorte County fights RTA referendum

LaPorte County fights RTA referendum

Many have complained about a state law that calls for November bus and rail referendums in four northern Indiana counties, but only LaPorte County has promised to do something about it.

LaPorte County Council members this week indicated they were willing to go to court. “If we can get out of it, we want to get out of it,” said LaPorte County Councilman Rich Mrozinski. “We have to make a stand, we’re looking at spending 100-thousand dollars of money that we don’t have.”

The LaPorte County Council on Monday unanimously passed a resolution asking its attorneys to go to court to seek an injunction.

If the injunction strategy does not work, the resolution asks the attorneys to seek state reimbursement for the costs of the election.

LaPorte is one of four counties ordered to hold special elections this November. The others are St. Joseph, Porter, and Lake Counties.

Voters in each county will be asked if they want to join a regional transportation district that would oversee bus and/or rail improvements.

Until now, none of the counties had any plans to hold November elections.
“Why "Couldn’t it wait another six months?” asked LaPorte County Commissioner Ken Layton. “I just don’t understand.”

Just two months ago, LaPorte County held a special election on a proposed construction project for the Michigan City Community School District. Now, LaPorte County faces the financial consequences of holding a November R-T-A election.

“We’re going to have a primary next year anyway,” said Commissioner Layton, “So we’re, by statute, we’re going to have an election process both in May (2010) and November (2010), this referendum for the RTA could simply be put on the ballot, and it wouldn’t cost anything.”

Even putting finances aside, LaPorte County Councilman Rich Mrozinski feels that waiting would be in the best interest of everyone. “In the meantime, I think there needs to be a better job of conveying what it would entail, let’s hear a little more about it, so that when we do vote, we’ll be a little bit more informed.”

When asked about the logic behind the special election scheduling Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer (D) South Bend indicated that the whole thing was a “mistake.”

“He (the author of the referendum amendment) meant it to be in the regular election like all referendums are,” Speaker Bauer said. “It was a mistake to put it in ’09.”

Speaker Bauer said he has already made one attempt to correct the situation by requesting that lawmakers return for a one day session to correct technical errors. Bauer says his request was denied by the Indiana State Senate.

 

[ejscott]

like to help, but don't live near any of them. good luck!

 

[rambone]

Nov. 3 RTA referendum still up in air

Nov. 3 RTA referendum still up in air :: Local News :: Post-Tribune

What would happen if they had a referendum and nobody came?
Voters in four northern Indiana counties may find out Nov. 3, as officials in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties have balked at funding a state-mandated vote that would create a regional authority to fund transportation projects.

County officials are weighing their options on whether to hold the vote on Nov. 3, as required by a hastily approved addition to the state budget bill passed during emergency session this spring. So far, only Porter County has taken the option of preparing to hold the vote this fall.

Lake County Council members on Tuesday refused to set aside $414,000 for election-related expenses. LaPorte County officials threatened to sue, but now say they simply intend not to hold the vote.

Voters in at least two of the four counties would have to approve creating the Regional Transportation Authority, which would have the power to raise a proportional income tax of up to .25 percent.

With opposition in Lake and LaPorte counties creating a likelihood the vote won't go forward, St. Joseph County officials have yet to decided a course, said County Commissioner Bob Kovach.

"The general consensus is that it's poor timing (for the referendum)," Kovach said. "I'm not in favor of a new tax myself, and I'm sure not interested in having to pay for an election with nothing else on the ballot."
Officials in the four counties agreed the better date would be during the November 2010 general election, when voter turnout will be higher and local election officials will have to print only one set of ballots.

"You have nothing else on the ballot, and you might have 2,500 people show up to vote," said LaPorte County Commissioner Barb Huston.

GOP State Sen. Luke Kenley, who added the referendum vote -- and Nov. 3, 2009 deadline -- to the state budget bill passed in special session this spring, said he could care less when the vote takes place.

"It seemed like the (Northwest Indiana) delegation wanted something to move forward quickly," he said. "This came up in the last few days of the session, along with 150 other things. Now it seems the temperature has cooled up there."

Changing the date in a special "technical corrections" session of the legislature seems unlikely as well, at least in time for local election officials to be spared the trouble of preparing ballots and sending out legal notices in advance of the vote, said state Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage. Party caucus leaders could call a special session of the legislature, but Tallian said the leadership seemed lukewarm to the option.

Lake County Board of Elections officials could sue the County Council for not approving the funding for the vote, and thereby blocking the election board from holding an election in accordance with state law.

Commissioners' attorney John Dull said the county would counter-sue, claiming the $414,000 price tag would jeopardize the county's ability to fund health and public safety programs. County Council attorney Ray Szarmach said the county is facing a $1 million shortfall in its 2009 budget already, and that the state could discipline the county for appropriating money it doesn't have.

Kenley, a Noblesville Republican, said he doubted changing the date of the election would even qualify as a correction. He agreed there is nothing in the bill that specifies a penalty for not holding the vote in November this year.

"I'm not going to sue anybody if they don't all have the vote on that date," he said.

Mark your calendars!! We need you to vote on Nov. 3 to stop this wasteful spending and TAX INCREASE!! Tell your family & friends!!

 

[Ness2k]

I'll be voting on this.

 

[rambone]

I'm going to be placing an order for stickers at some point that tell people what is in the health care bill. They can be placed in conspicuous places that lots of people will see.

Any contributors would be appreciated.

 

[rambone]

Here's a useful flier on the vote:

RTA Referendum Fliers

 

[rambone]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4V1A4j4aqw]YouTube - Commisioner Bob Harper Answers your questions about the RTA[/ame]