St. Joseph County Commissioners Want Time-Zone Change

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St. Joseph County Commissioners Want Time-Zone Change

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Nov 6, 2007 at 1:46 PM EDT

Story Updated: Nov 6, 2007 at 1:47 PM EDT

(AP) Two St. Joseph County commissioners have asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to extend the deadline for petitioning the government for a possible switch to the Central time zone.

The deadline expired Sunday, as daylight saving time ended for the year. Five southwestern Indiana counties switched that day from Central to Eastern time, and the federal agency said it would wait at least a year before considering new time zone petitions in Indiana.

St. Joseph County Commissioners Steve Ross and Robert Kovach, both Democrats, wrote to the DOT requesting an extension.

"The economic life and future of St. Joseph County is tied to the greater metropolitan area of Chicago," Ross said of a move from the Eastern to the Central time zone.

DOT spokesman Bill Mosley said the letter requesting the extension had been received and is being reviewed.

The federal agency last year denied a request from St. Joseph County officials for a move to Central time.

Republican Commissioner Mark Dobson said he wasn't consulted about the letter from Ross and Kovach.

"Partisanship is back," said Dobson, who called the squabble over time zones "one of the single most divisive issues" in St. Joseph County. "There's better things for our community to be working on."

Wednesday, Nov 21 at 4:47 PM Joe wrote ...

I'm just glad Indiana is more prosperous since going to D.S.T. Mitch said Indiana would benefit financially by going to DST. It hasn't helped me any. My taxes are going up instead of down.

Thursday, Nov 8 at 9:42 AM greg wrote ...

use your brain and deal with it. There are way more important issues than this that need attention. You are beating a dead horse. If you are so upset that you are not on Central time, move somewhere that is on Central.

Wednesday, Nov 7 at 10:14 AM Wilt wrote ...

The local television stations all want eastern time, so they get an extra hour of programming before prime time. They have been the ones pushing it for years.

Wednesday, Nov 7 at 9:18 AM Upset wrote ...

I vote first for a NEW governor and then I pray that we get back to where we were time-wise before Daniels took office.

Wednesday, Nov 7 at 9:14 AM Jennifer wrote ...

I think that we have wasted too much time and money debating the time zone. I don't know why it couldn't have been left alone in the first place. Indiana still isn't all on the same time so why the change to begin with.

Wednesday, Nov 7 at 1:02 AM CHET J. wrote ...

LET'S STAY ON CENTRAL ALL YEAR ROUND. WE'RE IN THE CENTRAL TIME ZONE BUT ON THE EASTERN ZONE. WE ARE CLOSER TO CHICAGO BUT ARE ON "NEW YORK" TIME ALL YEAR ROUND. WE ARE IN THE "MIDWEST" NOT THE "EAST" I KNOW INDIANA IS ALWAYS BACKWORDS BUT THIS NUTS!

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 10:41 PM Tony wrote ...

I think that going to central time is the best thing. We shoud have never went on estern time in the 1st place. Please go to central time zone

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 10:38 PM Mike wrote ...

For Ross to say "The economic life and future of St. Joseph County is tied to the greater metropolitan area of Chicago" is a lie. The DOT saw through this ruse when they denied his attempts to move us to the Central time zone the first time.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 10:08 PM Joanne wrote ...

It makes NO sense for South Bend/Mishawaka to be on a different time than Michigan or Elkhart. Besides, I thought Indianapolis was the capital of Indiana no Chicago. A town the size of South Bend should be on the same time as the state capital.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 8:42 PM Mary wrote ...

I thought St Joseph County was originally going to go to Central time -- what happened?! I want to apologize for voting Mitch into office -- I will NEVER do that again. He failed to mention several of his goals - selling toll rd, time chg, prop tax

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 7:46 PM Andrew wrote ...

We should be on Central time. Michigan should be too. If you look at the way the time zones where in the early 60's they had Indiana and Michigan on central. By the way to our south we have Kentucky and most of that state is on central

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:48 PM margie wrote ...

Pleas go to central let vote on this and see who wnat what or go back the way it was

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:41 PM Denise wrote ...

why we didnt have a say in this matter in the 1st place Please go back to the time zone we were in in the 1st place or change to central zone

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:38 PM Joseph wrote ...

Technically Indiana and Michigan should both be on Central time. Until the government puts Michigan back to central Indiana will be split

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:37 PM Brad wrote ...

I wish they would take a vote everyone I talk to wants centra

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:35 PM Ashley wrote ...

I have to agree with Steve Ross and Robert Kovach Please get us on Central time zone I am a Republican so hope they see it this way too.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:31 PM Michael wrote ...

Please go back to central time zone.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:26 PM Debra wrote ...

I would love to go back to the time zone we were in before or go on central. Iam all for cnetral time zone

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 4:21 PM pelotita wrote ...

please, go back to central time, that is the best, thing for st,josh.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 3:55 PM Jenn wrote ...

How about putting it to a statewide vote? I prefer central... Why? If you go further east, you'll find out soon enough that those folks aren't complaining about golfing at 9pm. Nope. I've had friends who find that us being on Eastern is crazy.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 3:46 PM Mark wrote ...

Mitch doesn't want us on Central and only the idiots in office do. The entire state should be Eastern. How many borders are Eastern and how many are Central? Therefore, we should be Eastern and that's the end of it.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 3:26 PM Annie wrote ...

I have family in Chicago and we consider the time difference as we plan our activities (just 1 hr). If businesses want to be on Central, then move and put this issue to rest. There are other important issues, both local and state, to be addressed!

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 2:54 PM sherry wrote ...

end the time zone debate. we are on eastern now. deal with it. focus on something more productive.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 2:50 PM Lenny wrote ...

What's wrong with our current situation? Why are these two men messing with a good thing. Yes, they should be voted out of office.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 2:38 PM Blogger wrote ...

St. Joe Co. go back to being at least part of the year the same as LaPorte-you loose business because of the time change. We had to reduce the trips we take to shop there and know others who have done the same.

Tuesday, Nov 6 at 2:20 PM Goose wrote ...

The county commisioners need to be voted out of office. Didn't we just settle this? L-O-W-E-R property taxes or do something else useful.

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