Does anyone know about the special election next week?

Good article on next weeks special election.

_____________________________________________________

Regional transportation system gets attention ahead of special election

Billboards, radio ads to raise awareness of special election.

By ERIN BLASKO
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND — Asked Monday morning if he knew about next week's special election, Emanuel Caraman put aside his cup of coffee, paused and then answered simply and unabashedly.

"No," the 30-year-old South Bend man said.

Told the election is a voter referendum to decide whether St. Joseph County should join a regional transportation district along with LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties, Caraman paused a second time.

"Say that again," he said.

Caraman's confusion about the Nov. 3 special election is precisely what local members of the Republican Party are hoping to address with a media blitz announced Monday at a news conference at the County-City Building.

The blitz, to include dozens of billboards and radio ads as well as a Web site (www.southshoretax. org), is part of a strategic push by the St. Joseph County Republican Party to raise awareness of the referendum and its potential impact.

If St. Joseph County voters decide to join the proposed RTD, residents would be taxed up to 0.25 percent on their income to fund its operation.

"What very much concerns me is that we are a week away from an election that could raise the income taxes of residents in St. Joseph County, and no one seems to be aware of it," county commissioner Andrew Kostielney, one of several Republican officeholders present at Monday's announcement, said.

According to Kostielney, county Republicans object to inclusion in the RTD because it would result in an additional tax on county residents but provide "little to no economic benefit" to the county itself.

As proposed, the RTD would provide oversight of the South Shore Railroad in St. Joseph, LaPorte, Porter, and Lake counties as well as regional bus service in Lake and Porter counties.

Chris Riley, Republican Party chair, said given the potential impact on taxpayers, his party would be remiss if it did not oppose the RTD.

"Somebody has got to look out for the taxpayer," Riley said, "and we feel it is the responsibility of the Republican Party."

Next Tuesday's special election is the result of a provision in the state budget, passed in June, that requires St. Joseph, LaPorte, Porter and Lake counties to decide by voter referendum whether to join a regional transportation district.

For the referendum to pass, two of the four participating counties would need to vote in favor of it.

Citing cost issues, both LaPorte and Lake counties have refused to hold the election.

In St. Joseph County, election officials have pared down costs by consolidating polling places and adopting low-tech voting methods, including issuing paper ballots.