GREGORY TEJEDA, Times of Northwest Indiana Correspondent
MERRILLVILLE | The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority on Tuesday approved a resolution urging Northwest Indiana voters to support a referendum on the Nov. 3 ballot that calls for creating a single entity to oversee mass transit in the area's four counties.
The authority voted 6-0 in favor of the resolution, even though some of the commissioners said they believe the law authorizing the referendum is flawed.
"It is fatally flawed legislation, but I am voting for this resolution because the concept is good," said commission member Howard Cohen, who on Tuesday served his last session as a member of the authority. Cohen also is chancellor of Purdue University Calumet.
The resolution approved by the authority said all voters in Lake and Porter counties should support the measure to create a single transit district for those counties, along with LaPorte and St. Joseph counties.
It also says the authority should work to develop a coalition of local government officials to work on improving mass transit quality, regardless of whether the referendum passes.
The resolution warned that negative consequences could occur should the referendum fail, including having to locally fund all bus and commuter train service, so they don't "cease to exist."
RDA member Lou Martinez said such loss should be a concern to everyone.
"The loss of service to the public is also a loss to the private sector," he said. "Less public transportation means people have a harder time getting to their jobs, which means fewer workers are available."