Rep. Ed Soliday's text to Portage mayor over NIPSCO rates draws sharp responses
'I received a threat to our city's financial situation' from Soliday, chair of the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Bonta said. 'He was frustrated with me on a personal note.'
'I just think I wouldn't be a responsible mayor if I didn't bring a stated threat up to you,' Bonta said.
Better to alert city officials now than ignore it and find out later that Soliday's threat led to action, he said.
Soliday didn't immediately respond to messages Wednesday morning.
'I want to thank you for your very enlightened comments on the IURC and rate increases!!! I am glad you took a stand against any future pay raises for NIPSCO linemen and other employees. I am additionally thankful that you took a position against meeting the inflationary costs of replacing our aging infrastructure,' Soliday wrote.
'I am most appreciative that you took a strong position to replace the nationally top rated Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission with an elected board. That way we could have any fool serve who will pander to the public noise boxes with no qualifications. BIG MISTAKE MAYOR. Maybe next time get the facts before you blow off on public policy. You and Red Stone make a heck of a pair,' he added.
'I promise I will work hard to make certain your city never gets any revenue increases!!!' Soliday concluded.
Soliday's text was in response to Bonta's July 28 post on social media, using his personal account, noting that the City Council adopted a resolution opposing the full rate increase NIPSCO proposed and forwarded it to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
Bonta said Tuesday he agrees with Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and others that having at least two members of the IURC be elected might make the commission more responsive to the public's concerns.
The mayor made clear to the council and the public that this was his personal view. 'I'm in the pothole-fixing business and police-funding business' as mayor, he said.
Porter County Council Vice President Ronald 'Red' Stone, whom Soliday mentioned in his text to Bonta, spoke out at Tuesday's City Council meeting. 'It's the most distasteful thing that I've read,' he said.
'I think that was definitely wrong, and he should resign over that, quite frankly,' Stone said.
'If this is really how politics works, I don't want to be a part of this,' he said.
Stone acknowledged he's outspoken. 'I fight for people, I fight for blue-collar people, and that's just how it is,' he said. 'I think sometimes you have to be able to tell people the real deal.'
'If people can't accept criticism, you're in for a rough time,' Stone said.
Porter County Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs and state Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage, also attended the City Council meeting but didn't speak out.
Bonta, Soliday, Stone and Biggs are all Republicans.
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