By Aleks Tapnish, Truth Staff
ELKHART -- St. Joseph County should remain on Eastern time. That's the message Gov. Mitch Daniels is sending to the federal agency responsible for managing the nation's time zones.
In his letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation Tuesday, Daniels encourages the department to make its decision before the New Year.
"I recommend that the department decline the petition of St. Joseph County to move from the Eastern to the Central Zone," Daniels wrote. Otherwise, the region would be divided, "an outcome that virtually no one advocates," he wrote.
Tentatively, the federal agency granted St. Joseph County's request to be on Central time. Elkhart County did not request the change.
"I agree with him," said Mike Yoder, Elkhart County commissioner. "I think he looked at the data the same as we did."
Steve Ross, who supports the Central time for St. Joseph County, said it would be "detrimental for the whole region" if St. Joe ends up on Eastern time.
"Let me put it to you very frankly," said Ross, St. Joseph County commissioner. "The governor has not been able to justify to any degree why St. Joseph County should not be on Central time." Ross said the governor did not base his opinion on economic factors.
"It has become a highly charged political situation, and that's most unfortunate for residents of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties," Ross said.
Last day to comment
Indiana and Michigan residents have been expressing their time zone preferences, often blaming Daniels for the ongoing confusion. More than 4,000 comments regarding Indiana time zones have been posted on a federal agency Web site since August.
Today marks the last day for public comments before the U.S. Department of Transportation makes its final decision in January.
"Our governor started all of this, then backed away; now he says he will wait to weigh in on the matter," writes Larry Laskoski, who supports St. Joseph County's petition. The governor must support St. Joe as the law requires, he writes. "Elkhart should not be allowed to bully St. Joseph."
"If the entire state can't be put on one time zone, repeal the Daylight Saving Time Bill," wrote David Plank of Goshen. "It was fine before Mitch messed with it."
Sonja Elder of Osceola believes two time zones would have a negative impact of residents' lives. "If nothing else, St. Joseph and Elkhart need to remain on the same time zone," she writes.
One state, one time zone, wrote Valerie Pinarski of Goshen. "To have counties choose their own time zones just defeats the purpose of the original idea to make 'Indiana time' conform in the global market," according to Pinarski.
Janice I. Luckenbill of Elkhart wants to see Elkhart County on the same time as St. Joseph: Central time.
"Unfortunately, the Elkhart County commissioners have not surveyed the general population," she wrote. "Central time would facilitate mine and other's work in all of the time zones."