The Indiana Attorney General’s office has been asked by the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to issue a legal opinion on whether Porter County can withdraw from the two-county agency.

Bryan Corbin, a spokesperson for Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, said the request from the RDA is under review. If the Attorney General’s office issues a legal opinion, it would be non-binding.

The Porter County Council voted last week 4-3 to withdraw its partenership with Lake County from the RDA and to cease paying its $3.5 million annual dues. According to county council attonrey Scott McClure, the 2005 state law that created the RDA does not contain language specifically allowing or preventing RDA members from leaving.

Under the RDA legislation, each of the five RDA members -- the counties of Porter and Lake and the cities of Hammond, Gary and East Chicago -- must annually pay $3.5 million. However, it was announced last week that the city of Gary is three installments, or about $2.6 million, behind in its payments.

Corbin noted that the Attorney General’s office is the legal office for state agencies, but that the RDA is considered a quasi-state agency. “The RDA is not required to use our office” for legal work, he said.

The RDA does have a representative from the Attorney General’s office serving as its co-counsel along with Valparaiso attorney Dave Hollenbeck.

Corbin said there is no timeframe yet on whether the Attorney General’s office will grant the request to issue a legal opinion for the RDA.