GARY – Senator Eddie Melton (D – Gary) issued this statement following the State Budget Committee’s approval of a Transit Development District (TDD) for downtown Gary earlier today:

“I applaud my colleagues at the State Budget Agency, the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, and the many other planners and public servants who are moving this critical project forward. The Gary Metro Center TDD will capture tax revenue generated by downtown Gary’s continuing growth and economic development, and allow us to reinvest those dollars locally. That puts Gary on track to once again be a thriving urban hub to the entire Region.

The new Transit Development District will also work hand-in-hand with the Lake County economic development initiatives passed in my bill earlier this year, SEA 434. Among other vital and exciting projects, that legislation provides matching funds from the state for the revitalization of Gary Metro Center Station, the anchor of our new TDD. My hope is that these efforts combined will transform our neglected downtown into an economic engine benefiting the people of Gary and Hoosiers across the state.

I thank the Governor, my colleagues in the General Assembly, key stakeholders, and the citizens of Gary for believing in these projects. I look forward to seeing them implemented and working together to unlock the vast potential of Northwest Indiana.”

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