By John Byrne, Post-Tribune staff writer
INDIANAPOLIS -- The South Shore rail extension has remained the topic of high-level negotiations in the Statehouse as the General Assembly enters its final days.
Republicans this week offered $175 million in state money to help pay for the work, but it may not be enough to get the train rolling.
The $1 billion proposal was seemingly consigned to this year's legislative scrap heap weeks ago when Republican Senate leaders balked at setting aside $350 million in state sales tax revenue to fund it.
But Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, said he met Wednesday night with the project's sponsor, Rep. Chet Dobis of Merrillville, for further talks about how to pay for extending the train line south to Lowell and east to Valparaiso.
"I told him 'Chet, the governor's going to be real generous here. If you guys can go out and raise $15 million (per year locally), he'll match it," Kenley said Thursday. "'You can either raise it through a local tax, or if your local business people want to pay a share, just show us the money and we'll do a fair share match.'"
But Dobis said he does not think it would be fair to try to levy a tax in Northwest Indiana to subsidize the construction.
And Dobis' colleagues have indicated they have no appetite for such a move.
Dobis reiterated his contention Lake and Porter counties are already kicking in enough cash through their annual pay-ins to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, which would contribute $150 million to the rail extension.
"There's just a difference of opinion here about what it means to have skin in the game," he said.
Dobis has said he plans to sign a report today that would assign the South Shore issue to a summer study session for further consideration.