Blair Milo returns to LaPorte and becomes problem-solving mayor.
by Michael Puente
Blair Milo could be living a pretty incredible life in Washington, D.C.
A little more than three years ago, that's exactly what she was doing. The 28-year-old was wrapping up a five-year career in the U.S. Navy that saw her serve two deployments to the Persian Gulf, including maneuvers in Bahrain and Iraq.
Transitioning from active duty to civilian life, the Purdue University political science graduate became a budget consultant at the Pentagon in Washington, working on the Navy's newest stealth destroyer ship.
But 600 miles to the east of Washington, D.C., in the city where she grew up and went to high school, something troubling caught her attention.
“I just saw what was happening in my hometown,” Milo says. “I just saw how LaPorte got into this troubling financial situation. I read an article on how the city wasn't going to be able to keep operating in the black past August. I said, ‘Oh my goodness! What in the world is going on here?”
Milo could have passed off LaPorte's troubles in hopes of someone else fixing the problem.
“I thought somebody really needs to do something here. But that's really never been my model of saying someone else needs to do something. I like to see what I can do to help fix the situation,” Milo says.
Before long, people were looking to Milo, a Republican, to challenge LaPorte's incumbent Mayor Kathy Chroback, a Democrat.
“I thought it was funny. I had no intentions of running for anything. I just wanted to be helpful. But as I continued to track the city's situation, I just didn't see the kinds of steps that I thought needed to be taken,” Milo says. “After taking to friends, family and mentors, and praying about it, I said, well, I'll do what I can to help out. It's an issue of leadership and providing a different direction.”
With that, Milo began her campaign for mayor of the city of 22,000 residents.
After a year of visiting residents door to door and meeting with groups, her work paid off. She won the general election for mayor in November 2011.
And it wasn't even close; she took more than 60 percent of the vote.
Others have taken notice of Milo's ascension as Indiana's youngest female mayor. Earlier this year, the Washington Post named her among “40 under 40 political rising stars.” A Chicago area blogger also named her “The Prettiest Mayor in the World.”
In office now for nearly three years, it's evident Mayor Milo hasn't be sitting around reading news clippings. She's gotten to work in turning LaPorte's financial troubles around after learning what was troubling it in the first place.
“The issue stem from the county level assessor and the auditor. They disagreed on how properties were being assessed,” Milo says.
Milo says the city's financial problem started in 2007 when the county failed to issue certified tax bills but instead issued provisional tax bills to property owners. Not knowing the bills had to be paid, some taxpayers simply ignored the provisional tax bills, perhaps waiting for certified bills to arrive.
“That was causing a cash flow problem for units (of government) across the county,” Milo says. “LaPorte ended up in a uniquely dire situation because it doesn't have other revenue to balance the property tax revenues that it receives.”
Unlike the county of LaPorte and the city of Michigan City, the city of La Porte does not receive revenue from the Blue Chip Casino, which helps to offset delays in obtaining property tax revenues.
A fix wasn't going to be easy. It required help from the Indiana General Assembly.
“I worked with state legislators. We got a bill passed through the Statehouse that forced LaPorte County to be able to move in as quick of a manner to get these (tax) bills caught up so that we could get back to a stable financial position,” Milo says. “That allows Realtors to sell homes more easily because they can actually tell prospective homebuyers what the property taxes would be.”
Milo says she expects the plan to get the city back on firm financial ground.
“The city now can financially plan with some sort of reasonability,” Milo says. “We have worked through a lot of it. By the end of the year, LaPorte County will be back on a regular billing cycle after seven years of not having reliable income and cash flow planning.”
Since taking office, Milo has consulted with community leaders to spur economic investment in the city.
“I really enjoy the opportunity to work with the team that we have here in LaPorte because there is a true passion for LaPorte. There are so many people working together toward a common good,” Milo says. “My view of leadership is to help coordinate all of those different elements so we're all marching in a similar direction and toward of a goal of moving LaPorte forward through an innovative mindset and bringing as much progress as we can. But, recognizing each individual's role is how we do that.”
One of the projects Milo hopes spurs economic growth in LaPorte is the 137-acre expansion of the Thomas Rose Industrial Park, a project in which the Greater LaPorte County Economic Development Corp. has played a major role.
The work includes providing dual rail service and could provide nearly $4 million in additional tax revenue, along with the addition of 1,000 new manufacturing jobs and 350 service sector jobs. “This is going to be a unique opportunity to expand our economic base for our community,” Milo says.
Another area of development is the NewPorte Landing Project on the former site of Allis Chalmers, a producer of farming equipment. The company played a vital role in the development of LaPorte but it shut down in the early 1980s.
On 150 acres, NewPorte Landing hopes to bring in new commercial, residential and recreation opportunities. Already, a new Dunkin Donuts shop is expected to open soon in the area.
“We've got so much interest from individuals on wanting to be able to locate in that development,” the mayor says.
Milo is also looking at tourism to the city to bring in additional revenue. Over the summer, the city held its second annual Maple City Grand Prix, a power boat race which provided more than a million dollars in economic impact.
In 2016, the Pyrotechnics Guild International returns to the city for its annual weeklong convention.
In 2012, the group held its convention in LaPorte and put on a one-of-a-kind fireworks display while generating more than $3 million in revenue for the city and surrounding area. “Hopefully we'll have higher numbers than that and folks are a little more aware of what an amazing show that they put on,” Milo says.
Milo is also using social media, such as Facebook, to connect with the community. Improving residents' health is also a priority, which is why she created “Fitness Fridays,” a program that includes a weekly 5k walk/run with constituents.
Even as her work and efforts are starting to fall into place, Milo is unsure what her future will hold and has not yet decided on seeking re-election.
In 2013, she dropped out of an effort to become the auditor for the state of Indiana.
“What the world has in store for me, what God has in store for me, I'm excited for His plans because they are usually greater than whatever I come up with on my own,” Milo says. “I know I have a passion for public service.”
Despite the challenges of public office, Mayor Milo says she doesn't regret returning to LaPorte.
“I don't know how this will turn out. But, I didn't want to look back 20 or 30 years from now and regret that I could have done something,” Milo says. “It's not about me. I am blessed to be part of an incredible team across the community. I know there are things we need to continue to improve upon. Our work is far from done. But, there are just amazing individuals that put so much of their heart into this community that I hope that folks can see that dedication.”
