South Shore rejects cooperation on buses

BY KEITH BENMAN, Times of Northwest Indiana
kbenman@nwitimes.com

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District board unanimously rejected a move Friday to cooperate with the Regional Bus Authority.

By an 11-0 vote, the board rejected a "statement of shared goals" that would have had the two coordinate bus and train service and explore combining two boards into one.

"Why do we need them?" said NICTD board member and Lake County Commissioner Fran DuPey shortly before the vote. "We're doing just fine."

NICTD operates the South Shore commuter railroad, which runs from Chicago to South Bend.

Looming large behind the board's decision was the RBA's proposal to fund regional bus service with a food and beverage tax. The Lake County Council is considering enacting the tax.

NICTD board member and Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid wanted to know if the resolution expressed support for the food and beverage tax.

John Parsons, NICTD marketing and planning director, said the statement did not.

DuPey said she wanted to go on record against the food and beverage tax before Friday's vote was taken. Cid and other board members also seemed anxious to put distance between themselves and the tax.

If the tax is enacted by the Lake County Council and approved by county commissioners, the proceeds would go to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority under state legislation passed in 2005. The RDA already has committed to funding public transit with any money it gets from a food and beverage tax.

The movement to get the RBA and NICTD to cooperate more closely has been spearheaded by RDA Chairman Leigh Morris.

Contacted after Friday's vote, Morris said the RDA was leaving the decision on enacting the food and beverage tax up to government leaders. But if enacted, he said the RDA would use it for public transit.

The RDA will push the two transit providers to continue talks on working more closely together, Morris said.

"It's in their interest to work together and build a stronger public transport system in Northwest Indiana," Morris said.