04112016 - News Article - Porter County Commissioners and Council reply jointly to Portage mayor

Porter County Commissioners and Council reply jointly to Portage mayor
Chesterton Tribune
April 11, 2016
http://chestertontribune.com/Porter%20County/porter_county_commissioners_and.htm

The Porter County Council and Commissioners have released the following joint statement, in response to comments recently made by Portage Mayor James Snyder.

The statement in full:
“Due to recent blatantly false representations made by the Mayor of the City of Portage, the Porter County Commissioners and Porter County Council feel the need to present the residents with an accurate picture of the state of Porter County.

“We are pleased to report that the county is financially secure. The county tax rate has decreased this year. Fiscal responsibility and avoiding unnecessary government spending and borrowing has been a focus that has led to savings to our taxpayers.

“One of the misrepresentations is that hospital proceeds are simply sitting in a bank somewhere and of no value to our residents. Nothing could be further from the truth. The County Council and County Commissioners have made history in the formation of the Porter County Foundation. Porter County is the only county in the State of Indiana to have forged this new ground. We have protected the proceeds over the years rather than spend foolishly and have now invested them in the Foundation. This joint action will reduce the tax burden on the residents of Porter County up to $8 million every year, permanently. The formation and funding of the Foundation has insured that not only is our County solvent now, but it will remain solvent for generations to come.

“Another misrepresentation is that the County government has done nothing to benefit the City of Portage. This too is completely incorrect. The City of Portage has borrowed millions of dollars from the County at a much reduced interest rate. Further, the County has implemented many initiatives that have directly benefited the citizens of Portage. For example, the county absorbed the cost of the 911 system, funded the countywide drug task force, and is constructing an animal shelter without asking Portage to contribute. We also fund all County departments utilized by Portage citizens.

“The Mayor of Portage has also recently criticized County Government for not raising taxes. Fiscal responsibility and working under a sustainable budget has been our goal. We simply will not create unnecessary taxes.

“In addition to working lean, there are many projects being undertaken by the County. Some great examples of these projects include capital projects like construction of a new animal shelter, a new stormwater system, and upgrade to our bridges and roads. We are also assessing and upgrading all of our current buildings and infrastructure.

“Simply put, we will not apologize for our fiscal responsibility as representatives of ALL of Porter County, and we certainly look forward to continue working alongside the people of Portage as well as of all of the Porter County municipalities in the future.”

The statement is signed by all seven members of the County Council and all three Commissioners.

04082016 - News Article - Letter to the editor: Porter County commissioners, council members respond to Portage mayor

Letter to the editor: 
Porter County commissioners, council members respond to Portage mayor
John Evans, Laura Blaney and Jeff Good, Porter County Commissioners
Chicago Tribune
April 08, 2016
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-letter-porter-st-0410-20160408-story.html

Due to recent blatantly false representations made by the mayor of the city of Portage, the Porter County Commissioners and Porter County Council feel the need to present the residents with an accurate picture of the state of Porter County.

We are pleased to report that the county is financially secure. The county tax rate has decreased this year. Fiscal responsibility and avoiding unnecessary government spending and borrowing has been a focus that has led to savings to our taxpayers.

One of the misrepresentations is that hospital proceeds are simply sitting in a bank somewhere and of no value to our residents. Nothing could be further from the truth .The County Council and County Commissioners have made history in the formation of the Porter County Foundation. Porter County is the only county in the State of Indiana to have forged this new ground. We have protected the proceeds over the years rather than spend foolishly and have now invested them in the foundation. This joint action will reduce the tax burden on the residents of Porter County up to $8 million every year, permanently. The formation and funding of the foundation has insured that not only is our county solvent now, but it will remain solvent for generations to come.

Another misrepresentation is that the county government has done nothing to benefit the City of Portage. This too is completely incorrect. The city of Portage has borrowed millions of dollars from the county at a much reduced interest rate. Further, the county has implemented many initiatives that have directly benefited the citizens of Portage. For example, the county absorbed the cost of the 911 system, funded the countywide drug task force, and is constructing an animal shelter without asking Portage to contribute. We also fund all of the county departments utilized by Portage citizens.

The Mayor of Portage has also recently criticized county government for not raising taxes. Fiscal responsibility and working under a sustainable budget has been our goal. We simply will not create unnecessary taxes.

In addition to working lean, there are many projects being undertaken by the county.

Some great examples of these projects include capital projects like construction of a new animal shelter, a new storm water system, and upgrade to our bridges and roads. We are also assessing and upgrading all of our current buildings and infrastructure.

Simply put, we will not apologize for our fiscal responsibility as representatives of all of Porter County, and we certainly look forward to continue working alongside the people of Portage as well as all of the Porter County municipalities in the future.

John Evans, Laura Blaney and Jeff Good, Porter County Commissioners

Dan Whitten, Karen Conover, Robert Poparad, Jim Biggs, Sylvia Graham, Mike Jessen and Jeremy Rivas, Porter County Council

04062016 - News Article - Portage kicking tires on wheel tax

Portage kicking tires on wheel tax
Post-Tribune
April 06, 2016
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-portage-wheel-tax-st-0407-20160406-story.html

Portage Mayor James Snyder defended the need for a wheel tax before a packed City Council meeting Tuesday. He blamed county officials, in part, for failing to share Porter hospital sale proceeds with municipalities.

Snyder, a Republican, said he believes Portage is the first city in Indiana to consider adopting a $25 per passenger annual vehicle tax that increases to $40 for commercial and recreational vehicles and motorcycles.

In the recent General Assembly session, state lawmakers set aside a pot of $150 million to match what local communities raise with the wheel tax. In Portage's case, Snyder said it would mean $1.5 million annually with the state match. Residents would pay the tax when they register at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Council members gave the controversial measure a first reading, but no one except Council President Mark Oprisko, D-at-large, offered insight on how they might vote. Oprisko supported the tax.

"The bottom line is the state legislature gave us an option ... They let cities fight for it because we know our roads are in bad shape ... it's important to have our roads in tip-top shape and to have a plan for years to come."

Councilmen Collin Czilli, D-5th, and Scott Williams, D-3rd, are holding a town hall meeting on the tax at 2 p.m. April 16 at the Portage Public Library, 2665 Irving St.

The City Council is poised to vote on the wheel tax at its 6:30 p.m. May 4 meeting at Woodland Park. Snyder said the city needs to get in the state's funding pipeline by July to receive matching money by next January.

Because of budget constraints, Snyder said the city can only afford about $90,000 annually for roads.

"If it snows too much, salt money comes out of that budget," Snyder said.

He said he joined mayors from across the state to lobby for the wheel tax. Because of permanent property tax caps, approved in 2010, local governments typically receive less revenue. Snyder said Portage received more tax money in 2006 than it did in 2013.

"How do you maintain and take care of a city?" he said.

Residents asked Snyder questions for nearly an hour in the impromptu "town hall" that followed the council meeting. Many opposed the tax, saying they shouldn't be punished for saving their money to buy a second car or a recreational vehicle.

Another woman said the RVs and motorcycles are usually used only about six months a year, so the $40 fee was unfair.

Others complained their trash and sewage bills are about to increase as well. Snyder said failing to raise sewage fees for 20 years hurt the city's infrastructure.

Snyder recently butted heads with county officials because they won't agree to move the North County Government Complex from Willowcreek Road to downtown Central Avenue.

Snyder accused county officials of sitting on $30 million of Major Moves state money and $157 million in hospital proceeds. "They're derelict in their duty," he said. "They're using interest from the foundation to operate their bloated government. They won't pass a wheel tax.

"Now, they're holding us hostage and asking us to pay for our puppies to go to the new animal shelter … We can't wait for them to fix our infrastructure."

City officials get calls every day from residents asking for their roads to be paved, Snyder said. "We don't have a viable plan and that's what this will allow us to do," he said.

He said the city maintains 154 miles of local roads and if it spent the entire $1.5 million in wheel tax revenue on roads, it could pave 18 miles.

04062016 - News Article - County blasts Portage for misleading information about Foundation

County blasts Portage for misleading information about Foundation
Chesterton Tribune
April 06, 2016
http://chestertontribune.com/Porter%20County/county_blasts_portage_for_mislea.htm

Comments made by Portage City elected officials have stirred up ire on the Porter County Council and the County Board of Commissioners regarding the new foundation endowment fund established for investing the proceeds from the sale of the county’s Porter Memorial Hospital.

The Council and Commissioners met jointly Tuesday for their quarterly meetings on the Foundation. The two make up the Foundation’s board of trustees.

Quickly approving the three firms to serve as their non-voting advisors -- 1st Source Bank of Valparaiso, Peoples Bank of Munster, and Horizon Bank of Michigan City -- board members expressed a need to counter claims made by Portage Mayor James Snyder and some City Council members.

“It’s all misleading and it’s all wrong,” County Council Dan Whitten, D-at large, said. “We have taken a lot of heat from a frame of mind that is just completely backward.”

While the Council and Commissioners provided no direct quotations of what has been said, Whitten said it has been insinuated that the County is “sitting with $200 million under a rock somewhere” and is not willing to share it with cash strapped municipalities.

“I’d like to know where the other $50 million is,” said Council member Jim Biggs, R-1st, pointing out the total in hospital sale proceeds available for investment is closer to $150 million.

Whitten said the accusation that the County is not lending money is untrue because the total of hospital money that has been borrowed from the County, reported by County Treasurer Michelle Clancy, is currently $13,220,000, with $2.975 million lent to the City of Portage.

Other amounts are $1.135 million to be paid back by the Town of Chesterton, and $9.11 million to be paid back by Valparaiso Schools, according to the County Treasurer’s office.

The money is due to be paid back to the County from this year until 2019 when it will be available for the County to invest into the foundation.

Whitten said he plans to send out a “very informative” press release and believes the Council and Commissioners deserve credit for the thought and preparation that has been put into investing the hospital funds so that they can achieve the biggest return possible and make Porter County prosperous.

Other County officials speculate the negative accusations can be blamed on election year politics.

“This is really childish,” said Commissioner President John Evans, R-North, who was also expressed annoyance at the comments.

Council member Karen Conover, R-3rd, said the Foundation money is “for everyone in Porter County.” She and Council member Robert Poparad, D-at large, hope the County’s efforts can be respected.

“We need to get the word out. We have changed the landscape of this county for my grandchildren,” Poparad said.

A call to Mayor Snyder for comment was not returned this morning.

The next joint meeting for the Foundation will be in July.

04062016 - News Article - Residents show concern over proposed Portage wheel tax - - Snyder took shots at Porter County for sitting on proceeds of the sale of Porter hospital instead of investing the money in needed infrastructure improvements.

"Snyder took shots at Porter County for sitting on proceeds of the sale of Porter hospital instead of investing the money in needed infrastructure improvements."

Residents show concern over proposed Portage wheel tax
NWI Times
Apr 6, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/residents-show-concern-over-proposed-portage-wheel-tax/article_f9d8b171-02b8-58d8-958f-b352785beb2e.html

PORTAGE — This week's City Council meeting quickly turned into a town hall-type discussion as some 200 people attending wanted to know more about the city's proposed wheel tax.

While some residents voiced support of the proposed tax, others voiced adamant opposition to creating the tax.

Mayor James Snyder said he was one of several municipal officials who pushed downstate for legislation to provide communities a new source of revenue to maintain and build streets and sidewalks.

Snyder told the group the city can only budget $90,000 per year for road reconstruction, which would pave about 1,900 feet of roadway. He blamed state officials for tax caps constraining local budgets and took shots at Porter County for sitting on proceeds of the sale of Porter hospital instead of investing the money in needed infrastructure improvements.

The wheel tax, said Snyder, would allow the city to collect an additional $750,000 annually in revenues. It would be matched, under the recently approved road bill, by the state. In total, it would provide the city annually with $1.5 million to use for road repairs, construction and sidewalks.

As proposed, the city would assess $25 for each passenger car and motorcycle registered in the city and $40 for each commercial or recreational vehicle.

Some residents complained, that they could be paying in the hundreds of additional dollars each year because they own more than one vehicle. Some also suggested it would unfair to fully tax a vehicle — such as a motorcycle or RV — the full amount if it is used only a portion of the year.

Snyder said the fees have initially been set at the state-allowed maximum, but that the City Council is looking at the fee schedule and could lower the fees for some categories. He said the state law did not allow any "breaks" for multiple vehicle owners or senior citizens.

Snyder said the money will be used to pave streets, construct sidewalks and finance larger projects. He said a council committee would be put together to prioritize projects and the city would develop a three-year plan for spending the funds.

Snyder said he would like Portage to be the first to adopt the new wheel tax. Crown Point city officials also are considering adopting the tax.

Residents told Snyder he had previously said the savings from automating trash collecting would be used towards maintaining roadways.

Snyder said the city has used savings in trash collection along with funds saved on employee health insurance in addition to floating a $3.5 million bond two years ago, but that it simply isn't enough to maintain streets within the city. He said the city needs to have a continuing source of revenue dedicated to roads.

"After implementing the wheel tax, we will have the consistent fund," Snyder said.

The council held the first reading on the ordinance at Tuesday's meeting. A public hearing and vote on the tax will be held at the council's next meeting at 6:30 p.m. May 4 in Woodland Park.

Snyder said the city must pass the ordinance by June 1 for the state to begin collecting funds in 2017.

04022016 - News Article - Portage to consider wheel tax to fund road improvements

Portage to consider wheel tax to fund road improvements
NWI Times
Apr 2, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/portage-to-consider-wheel-tax-to-fund-road-improvements/article_ca1fe554-841d-5217-94b4-55f1fb012bf7.html

PORTAGE — The Portage City Council will consider adopting a wheel/excise tax this week to fund local road projects.

An ordinance is scheduled for first reading at a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road.

If the ordinance passes, there will be a $25 charge per year for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, trucks not exceeding 11,000 pounds and motor driven cycles, and a $40 charge per year for buses, recreational vehicles, semitrailers, tractors, trailers and trucks registered in the city.

The tax will be collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles when a vehicle's registration is renewed and deposited in a city-created fund.

The ordinance must be passed by July for collection of the tax to begin Jan. 1, 2017.

The proposed wheel tax comes shortly after the city raised trash and sanitary sewer fees by a combined $15 per month.

In a press release, city officials stated state legislation is requiring the city to initiate the new tax in order to collect part of the $150 million set aside by the state as matching funds for communities.

Funds must be invested in city roads, sidewalks and the motor vehicle highway fund.

"This is the only state revenue source that every penny collected in Portage is not lost to state red tape. It all comes back to Portage roads, drainage and sidewalks. We believe every dollar invested by Portage residents will be returned in more state revenues, property value increases, road safety and vehicle maintenance," Mayor James Snyder said.

"While it's outrageous that the legislature is making us tax ourselves to simply get back our share of state road dollars, our roads are simply too important to forego the substantial state funds," Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham saide.

It is estimated the city would receive $750,000 in state funds.

04012016 - News Article - Portage to consider wheel tax to fund road improvements - Presentation

Portage to consider wheel tax to fund road improvements - Presentation
NWI Times
Apr 1, 2016
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/portage-to-consider-wheel-tax-to-fund-road-improvements/pdf_d1d45121-1e4a-5441-8a9d-d9ffa6285d87.html