The Post-Tribune
The referendum on whether to create a four-county Regional Transportation Authority has become something akin to the Abbott and Costello "Who's on First" routine.
We don't know who's on first, and we aren't terribly sure who is on second and third as well.
The General Assembly earlier this year mandated that voters in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties would decide next month whether to create the RTA, which would have taxing powers.
At least two of the four counties must approve the referendum to allow for creation of the transportation agency, which would serve as the local funding source for bus and commuter rail expansion.
Unfortunately, the Legislature handled the issue poorly.
Ordering a referendum in a nonelection year makes no sense. Lake County is refusing to take part, saying it doesn't have the $400,000 needed to pay for the election. There would be no extra cost in 2010. LaPorte County also isn't voting this year because of cost.
Porter County is going ahead with a paper-ballot election at a cost of around $50,000. Absentee ballots already are being cast. St. Joseph County also is voting now.
Lake County will decide Tuesday whether to proceed with an election in May or November 2010. LaPorte County will do the same.
Yet, questions abound and no one is providing the answers.
Would the votes in Porter and St. Joseph counties be the only ones that count since they met the Nov. 3 mandate? And if only two counties vote on time, would the referendum fail if one of them rejects the RTA? Or would the results of the 2010 vote count?
Having votes in two different years on the same issue makes no sense. Whether to create an RTA is a serious issue. The state ought to step in and treat it as such.