RBA chief warns of Northwest Indiana group's possible demise

BY JOYCE RUSSELL, Times of Northwest Indiana
joycer@nwitimes.com

PORTAGE | Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority President Dennis Rittenmeyer warned Thursday that the life of the RBA, and the chance for a region-wide public transportation system, could be cut short unless a solution is found for long-term funding.

Rittenmeyer told members of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission Executive Board that if a solution is not found by the end of the next legislative session in 2009, the RBA "will be done."

Rittenmeyer said the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority has granted $6.5 million in capital funds to the RBA, but those funds are not for continuing operating expenses. The most recent RDA grant is for two years, ending at the end of 2009 and there is no additional funding coming at this point.

Rittenmeyer said finding funding has not been an easy task. For a long time, the RBA attempted to get a food and beverage tax passed in Lake County, but it failed and he doesn't see the idea being resurrected.

He said the RBA had another plan, "a darn good plan if I say so myself," that would have raised sales tax in the state by 1 percent and would have funded public transportation across the state.

However, he added, as transportation specialists were getting ready to lobby for the increase, Gov. Mitch Daniels announced his own tax plan with a 1 percent sales tax going towards property tax relief. That ended that effort.

"The answer, we don't have one right now. The end of the next (legislative) session is going to be quite interesting. If we don't have the answer or a legislative answer, we'll be done," said Rittenmeyer. "All the stakes are going to be in next year's legislation. It is a practical matter that we need to make an investment in public transportation."

Some at the NIRPC meeting said the RBA hadn't done a very good job of selling itself.

Porter County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke asked Rittenmeyer if the RBA had taken its case to county or municipal officials.

Rittenmeyer said they hadn't.

"You need to start selling yourselves," said Breitzke, adding that Porter County officials are not likely to pass another tax.

LaPorte County Commissioner Michael Bohacek said the group hasn't sold itself to his county.

Presently the RBA represents Lake and Porter counties. Rittenmeyer said there have been efforts to get LaPorte County to join.

"What's the benefits for us?" asked Bohacek, adding representatives from his county have not been shown any information on ridership or how the expansion of public transportation could open up job opportunities for their residents.