VALPARAISO — The Board of Commissioners got pushback this week on spending plans for the county’s $33 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Elizabeth Gingrich, of Valparaiso, urged the commissioners to devote some of the money to addressing clean air issues.
“We have a very slim window of time to act,” she said. The United States ranks highest for per capita for carbon emissions, and Indiana and Louisiana are the two worst states. Indiana also is ranks third for coal consumption. Porter County is 1.4 times the federal standard for air pollution emissions, she added.
“Our kids are breathing in diesel fumes, the dirtiest sort of energy, twice a day,” Gingrich said. The county could use some of its money to shift to electric buses or put solar panels on county buildings, she said.
Homelessness, mental health and opioid addiction are other areas where the county could spend some of the money, Gingrich added.
“Have a special meeting where people don’t have to take off a day from work where people can come and put in their 2 cents,” she said.
Robin Lane, of Valparaiso, urged others to familiarize themselves with the toolkit on spending local coronavirus recovery funds, which she found on the state’s website.
“I’m very aware of it,” Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, said.
“There’s actually a couple of teams that it’s recommending we get together,” including government leaders, teachers, educators, health care workers, nonprofits, engineers and lawyers, Lane said. She urged the county to form a team with representatives like these to assess the disparate impact on affected sectors and look at ways to address these issues.
“As a healthcare worker, I am absolutely heartbroken that so many people are suffering right now,” she said.
Sheila Sweeney, of Valparaiso, shared an online petition with more than 130 signatures and comments so far.
“As a citizen, I feel like the pandemic wreaked a lot of havoc,” Sweeney said. “It’s not over.”
Deaths resulting from domestic violence are up 186% over pandemic in Indiana, she noted. Housing Opportunities had to give tents to the homeless last summer for lack of housing options. “The county jail is the only place people can recover from addiction,” she said.
“The $5.5 million for the (Memorial) Opera House seems excessive to me,” Sweeney said. “If it’s possible, rescind this plan and start over to get public input.”
“There should be vigorous opportunity for public input from all your citizens as well as your nonprofits,” she said.
Gilles Charriere, of Valparaiso, also criticized the plan for spending the first half of the $33 million. “Everybody I’ve talked to so far is not thinking this plan is wise.”
“I feel like we need to do a do-over,” he said. Charriere asked the commissioners to pass a resolution urging the County Council to vote against the commissioners’ own ordinance on how to use the first tranche of the ARPA funds.
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