We've been told (so it must be true, wink, wink!) that an intermodal or logistics project will broaden our tax base and result in a decline in our county tax rates. More revenue, lower tax rate on our homes and businesses. Yes, we will have more revenue, but we believe the cost of providing services to a new logistics facility will exceed the revenue gained by a substantial margin - resulting in a HIGHER tax rate, not lower.

Next breath: Our property values will increase (so they say, wink, wink). But developers want to put their project here so they can save on what? Property taxes. So, why are our property taxes already 58% lower here than Greater Chicago (as mentioned at laportecounty.biz)? Maybe it's because Greater Chicago requires MUCH more services than Greater LaPorte County.

And, if our property values go up on our homes (you really want to live in a county with an intermodal polluter?), then the tax rate increase we predict will lead to HIGHER property taxes. Maybe, over time, we get can our rates up to the Will County level.

In fact, a STUDY prepared for Polk County, Florida suggests the same thing:

A logistics installation there will result in new expenditures of $1.21 for every $1.00 in new tax revenue in order to maintain the same level of county services.

Read that again: 

Development doesn't pay for itself? 

Not in Polk County which has THREE times the land area of LaPorte County and over four and a half times the population. They should be able to far better absorb a logistics facility into their county infrastructure than we could into ours. But it's going to cost them NEW tax dollars to do so.

We would need new roads, new jail cells, new deputies, courtrooms, schools, teachers and judges - and current county residents and businesses will pay more than the tax revenues created by  the developers. Think of the tax revenues lost due to taking thousands of acres of prime farmland out of production. 

They're asking us to give up a quality of life for an overall decline in our well being - and pay for that privilege. Something is wrong here.

LaPorte County taxpayers deserve to know the consequences of bringing in what the developers are planning BEFORE this project is approved. 

Ask for this sort of report NOW for LaPorte County. Shouldn't you be told how much more will be taken from your pocket to increase profits for outside investors?

Do you trust a developer to plan what is best for the county? Or best for the developer? The task force should have an expert study this issue.